Preparation of PAN/phenolic-based carbon/carbon composites with flexible towpreg carbon fiber

Carbon/carbon composites made with flexible towpreg carbon fiber as reinforcement and phenolic resins as matrix precursor were impregnated with pitch during re-carbonization process. The structural characteristics of the composites were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), three-point bending tests, Archimedes’ method and water adsorption. Results showed that the density of the carbon/carbon composites increases from 1.45 to 1.54 g/cm3 with the cycles of pitch impregnated and re-carbonization. Open porosity measurement indicated that the increase of porosity resulted from the decomposition of phenolic resin matrix, and the open porosity of the composite gradually decreased after the impregnation and re-carbonization process. These composites also exhibited an improvement in flexural strength with increasing number of densification cycles. From SEM morphological observation, it was concluded that few cracks appeared in the surfaces and a few smaller pores with a diameter <1 μm could be observed.