Enhanced Thermal Conductivity of Carbon Nanotube Arrays by Carbonizing Impregnated Phenolic Resins

Dongmei Hu, Hongyuan Chen, Zhenzhong Yong, Minghai Chen, Xiaohua Zhang, Qingwen Li, Zhen Fan, Zhihai Feng

Key Laboratory of Nano-Devices and Applications, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China.
State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Composite Materials, Aerospace Research Institute of Materials and Processing Technology, Beijing, China.

DOI: 10.4236/msa.2013.48055                

Abstract

A carbonization method is reported to improve the thermal conductivity of carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays. After being impregnated with phenolic resins, CNT arrays were carbonized at a temperature up to 1400°C. As a result, pyrolytic carbon was formed and connected non-neighboring CNTs. The pyrolysis improved the room temperature conductivity from below 2 W/m·K up to 11.8 and 14.6 W/m·K with carbonization at 800°C and 1400°C, respectively. Besides the light mass density of 1.1 g/cm³, the C/C composites demonstrated high thermal stability and a higher conductivity up to 21.4 W/m·K when working at 500°C.

Keywords

Carbon Nanotube; Phenolic Resin; Pyrolysis; Thermal Conductivity

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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