Internal Microstructure and Properties of a Reduced Graphene Oxide/Carbon Fiber/Carbon Based Composite Materials

During the preparation of carbon fiber reinforced carbon matrix (C/C) composites from resin based precursors, the glassy carbon derived from resin pyrolysis is difficult to graphitize into an ordered structure during carbonization and graphitization, which adversely affects the performance of C/C composites. To enhance the transformation of resin-derived carbon into an ordered structure, we employed a structurally ordered graphene-based material to modify a phenolic resin/carbon fiber precursor and designed two composite modification structures that are straightforward to implement in processing. The internal microstructure of the composites was characterized by XRD and SEM. The results indicate that graphene oxide was converted into reduced graphene oxide during the carbonization process, which enhanced the structural order of the composites after carbonization and graphitization. The graphene based material effectively promotes the transformation of pyrolytic carbon derived from resin into an ordered graphitic microcrystalline structure, thereby enhancing the performance of the carbon/carbon composites and demonstrating a favorable structural induction effect. After graphitization treatment, the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity of the reduced graphene oxide/carbon fiber/carbon based composite materials increased by 8.5% and 12%, respectively, compared to those of the unmodified composite.