EFFECT OF CARBON NANOTUBES ADDITION ON MATRIX MICROSTRUCTURE AND THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF PITCH BASED CARBON - CARBON COMPOSITES

Carbon/carbon composites were developed with carbon nanotubes as reinforcements and mesophase pitch as matrix precursor. The composites were carbonized at 1000 degrees C and graphitized at 2400 degrees C. Microstructure of these composites has been studied after each heat treatment using XRD, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Raman Microscope and polarized light optical microscope. The composites were also studied for thermal conductivity measurement. The microstructure of pitch based carbon matrix was found to change front anisotropic to isotropic structure with addition of carbon nanotubes but the thermal conductivity of the reinforced composites is not found to change much mainly due to the presence of high thermal conductivity of nanotubes.