Comparison of submicron-diameter carbon filaments and conventional carbon fibers as fillers in composite materials Review Article

This review provides a comparison of submicron-diameter carbon filaments and conventional carbon fibers as fillers in composite materials. Carbon filaments (0.1 μm diameter, catalytically grown) are superior to conventional carbon fibers (discontinuous) as a filler in providing polymer–matrix and cement–matrix composites for electromagnetic performance, but are inferior to the fibers as a filler for composites for electrical and mechanical performance. Concerning the electromechanical behavior, the filaments are inferior to the fibers for cement–matrix composites, but are superior to the fibers for polymer–matrix composites.