Protective Graphite Coating for Two-Dimensional Carbon/Carbon Composites

Two-dimensional carbon/carbon(2D C/C)composites are a special class of carbon/carbon composites,generally obtained by combining resin-impregnated carbon fiber clothes,which are then cured and carbonized.This study deals with the preparation of a protective coating for these materials.This coating,based on graphite,was prepared by the slurry method.The effect of graphite and phenolic resin powders with different weight ratios was examined.The results have shown that the coating slurry can fill the pores and cracks of the composite surface,thereby densifying the surface layer of the material.With the increase of the graphite powder/phenolic resin weight ratio,the coating density is enhanced while the coating surface flatness decreases;moreover,the protective ability of coating against erosion first increases(from 1:3 to 2:2)and then decreases(from 2:2 to 3:1).When the weight ratio is about 1:1,the coating for 2D C/C composites exhibits the best erosion resistance,which greatly aids these materials during gas quenching.In this case,the erosion rate is decreased by approximately 41.5%at the impact angle of 30°and 52.3%at normal impact,respectively.This can be attributed to the ability of the coating slurry to infiltrate into the substrate,thereby bonding the fibers together and increasing the compactness of the 2D C/C composites.

Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene/carbon composites for advanced supercapacitors:Synthesis,progress,and perspectives

MXenes are a family of two-dimensional(2D)layered transition metal carbides/nitrides that show promising potential for energy storage applications due to their high-specific surface areas,excellent electron conductivity,good hydrophilicity,and tunable terminations.Among various types of MXenes,Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) is the most widely studied for use in capacitive energy storage applications,especially in supercapacitors(SCs).However,the stacking and oxidation of MXene sheets inevitably lead to a significant loss of electrochemically active sites.To overcome such challenges,carbon materials are frequently incorporated into MXenes to enhance their electrochemical properties.This review introduces the common strategies used for synthesizing Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x),followed by a comprehensive overview of recent developments in Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/carbon composites as electrode materials for SCs.Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/carbon composites are categorized based on the dimensions of carbons,including 0D carbon dots,1D carbon nanotubes and fibers,2D graphene,and 3D carbon materials(activated carbon,polymer-derived carbon,etc.).Finally,this review also provides a perspective on developing novel MXenes/carbon composites as electrodes for application in SCs.

Study of the Diffusion Behavior of Seawater Absorption in Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/Halloysite Nanotubes Hybrid Nanofillers Modified Epoxy-Based Glass/Carbon Fiber Composites

In the maritime industry, cost-effective and lightweight Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites offer excellent mechanical properties, design flexibility, and corrosion resistance. However, their reliability in harsh seawater conditions is a concern. Researchers address this by exploring three approaches: coating fiber surfaces, hybridizing fibers and matrices with or without nanofillers, and interply rearrangement. This study focuses on evaluating the synergistic effects of interply rearrangement of glass/carbon fibers and hybrid nanofillers, specifically Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and Halloysite nanotubes (HNT). The aim is to enhance impact properties by minimizing moisture absorption. Hybrid nanocomposites with equal-weight proportions of two nanofillers: 0 wt.%, 1 wt.%, and 2 wt.% were exposed to seawater for 90 days. Experimental data was subjected to modelling through the application of Predictive Fick’s Law. The study found that the hybrid composite containing 2 wt.% hybrid nanofillers exhibited a 22.10% increase in impact performance compared to non-modified counterparts. After 90 days of seawater aging, the material exhibited enhanced resistance to moisture absorption (15.74%) and minimal reduction in impact strength (8.52%) compared to its dry strength, with lower diffusion coefficients.

Laser‑Induced and MOF‑Derived Metal Oxide/Carbon Composite for Synergistically Improved Ethanol Sensing at Room temperature

Advancements in sensor technology have significantly enhanced atmospheric monitoring.Notably,metal oxide and carbon(MO_(x)/C)hybrids have gained attention for their exceptional sensitivity and room-temperature sensing performance.However,previous methods of synthesizing MO_(x)/C composites suffer from problems,including inhomogeneity,aggregation,and challenges in micropatterning.Herein,we introduce a refined method that employs a metal–organic framework(MOF)as a precursor combined with direct laser writing.The inherent structure of MOFs ensures a uniform distribution of metal ions and organic linkers,yielding homogeneous MO_(x)/C structures.The laser processing facilitates precise micropatterning(<2μm,comparable to typical photolithography)of the MO_(x)/C crystals.The optimized MOF-derived MO_(x)/C sensor rapidly detected ethanol gas even at room temperature(105 and 18 s for response and recovery,respectively),with a broad range of sensing performance from 170 to 3,400 ppm and a high response value of up to 3,500%.Additionally,this sensor exhibited enhanced stability and thermal resilience compared to previous MOF-based counterparts.This research opens up promising avenues for practical applications in MOF-derived sensing devices.

Numerical study of directional heat transfer in composite materials via controllable carbon fiber distribution

Carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 12(CF/PA12),a new material renowned for its excellent mechanical and thermal properties,has drawn significant industry attention.Using the steady-state research to heat transfer,a series of simulations to investigate the heat transfer properties of CF/PA12 were conducted in this study.Firstly,by building two-and three-dimensional models,the effects of the porosity,carbon fiber content,and arrangement on the heat transfer of CF/PA12 were examined.A validation of the simulation model was carried out and the findings were consistent with those of the experiment.Then,the simulation results using the above models showed that within the volume fraction from 0% to 28%,the thermal conductivity of CF/PA12 increased greatly from 0.0242 W/(m·K)to 10.8848 W/(m·K).The increasing porosity had little influence on heat transfer characteristic of CF/PA12.The direction of the carbon fiber arrangement affects the heat transfer impact,and optimal outcomes were achieved when the heat flow direction was parallel to the carbon fiber.This research contributes to improving the production methods and broadening the application scenarios of composite materials.

Method to measure tree-ring width,density,elemental composition,and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes using one sample

Tree-ring width(RW),density,elemental com-position,and stable carbon and oxygen isotope(δ^(13)C,δ^(18)O)are widely used as proxies to assess climate change,ecology,and environmental pollution;however,a specific pretreat-ment has been needed for each proxy.Here,we developed a method by which each proxy can be measured in the same sample.First,the sample is polished for ring width meas-urement.After obtaining the ring width data,the sample is cut to form a 1-mm-thick wood plate.The sample is then mounted in a vertical sample holder,and gradually scanned by an X-ray beam.Simultaneously,the count rates of the fluorescent photons of elements(for chemical characteriza-tion)and a radiographic grayscale image(for wood density)are obtained,i.e.the density and the element content are obtained.Then,cellulose is isolated from the 1-mm wood plate by removal of lignin,and hemicellulose.After producing this cellulose plate,cellulose subsamples are separated by knife under the microscope for inter-annual and intra-annual stable carbon and oxygen isotope(δ^(13)C,δ^(18)O)analysis.Based on this method,RW,density,elemental composition,δ^(13)C,and δ^(18)O can be measured from the same sample,which reduces sample amount and treatment time,and is helpful for multi-proxy comparison and combination research.

Carbon Fiber Breakage Mechanism in Aluminum(Al)/Carbon Fibers(CFs) Composite Sheet during Accumulative Roll Bonding(ARB) Process

We put forward a method of fabricating Aluminum(Al)/carbon fibers(CFs) composite sheets by the accumulative roll bonding(ARB) method. The finished Al/CFs composite sheet has CFs and pure Al sheets as sandwich and surface layers. After cross-section observation of the Al/CFs composite sheet, we found that the CFs discretely distributed within the sandwich layer. Besides, the tensile test showed that the contribution of the sandwich CFs layer to tensile strength was less than 11% compared with annealed pure Al sheet. With ex-situ observation of the CFs breakage evolution with-16%,-32%, and-45% rolling reduction during the ARB process, the plastic instability of the Al layer was found to bring shear damages to the CFs. At last, the bridging strengthening mechanism introduced by CFs was sacrificed. We provide new insight into and instruction on Al/CFs composite sheet preparation method and processing parameters.

Microwave Absorption and Mechanical Properties of Short-cutted Carbon Fiber/glass Fiber Hybrid Veil Reinforced Epoxy Composites

This work aims at investigating the microwave absorption and mechanical properties of short-cutted carbon fiber/glass fiber hybrid veil reinforced epoxy composites.The short-cutted carbon fibers(CFs)/glass fibers(GFs)hybrid veil were prepared by papermaking technology,and composites liquid molding was employed to manufacture CFs/GFs hybrid epoxy composites.The microstructure,microwave absorbing properties and mechanical properties of the hybrid epoxy composites were studied by using SEM,vector network analyzer and universal material testing,respectively.The reflection coefficient of the composites were calculated by the measured complex permittivity and permeability in the X-band(8.2-12.4 GHz)range.The optimum microwave absorption properties can be obtained when the content of CFs in the hybrid veil is 6 wt%and the thickness of the composites is 2 mm,the minimum reflection coefficient of-31.8 dB and the effective absorption bandwidth is 2.1 GHz,which is ascribed to benefitting impedance matching characteristic and dielectric loss of the carbon fiber.Simultaneously the tensile strength and modulus can achieve 104.0 and 2.98GPa,demonstrating that the CFs/GFs hybrid epoxy composites can be a promising candidate of microwave absorbing materials with high mechanical properties.

Characteristics of carbon isotopic composition of alkane gas in large gas fields in China

Exploration and development of large gas fields is an important way for a country to rapidly develop its natural gas industry.From 1991 to 2020,China discovered 68 new large gas fields,boosting its annual gas output to 1925×108m3in 2020,making it the fourth largest gas-producing country in the world.Based on 1696 molecular components and carbon isotopic composition data of alkane gas in 70 large gas fields in China,the characteristics of carbon isotopic composition of alkane gas in large gas fields in China were obtained.The lightest and average values ofδ^(13)C_(1),δ13C2,δ13C3andδ13C4become heavier with increasing carbon number,while the heaviest values ofδ^(13)C_(1),δ13C2,δ13C3andδ13C4become lighter with increasing carbon number.Theδ^(13)C_(1)values of large gas fields in China range from-71.2‰to-11.4‰(specifically,from-71.2‰to-56.4‰for bacterial gas,from-54.4‰to-21.6‰for oil-related gas,from-49.3‰to-18.9‰for coal-derived gas,and from-35.6‰to-11.4‰for abiogenic gas).Based on these data,theδ^(13)C_(1)chart of large gas fields in China was plotted.Moreover,theδ^(13)C_(1)values of natural gas in China range from-107.1‰to-8.9‰,specifically,from-1071%o to-55.1‰for bacterial gas,from-54.4‰to-21.6‰for oil-related gas,from-49.3‰to-13.3‰for coal-derived gas,and from-36.2‰to-8.9‰for abiogenic gas.Based on these data,theδ^(13)C_(1)chart of natural gas in China was plotted.

Research Progress of Carbon-Silicone Composite Materials

Silicone is a kind of polymer material with high cross-linked structure,which is com-posed by Si-O-Si main chain.Due to the special molecular chain structure,silicone mate-rials are characterized by oxidation resistance,aging resistance,high and low temperature resistance and chemical corrosion resistance.Moreover,silicone materials have process-able properties,simple forming process,good mechanical property,non-toxic and pollution-free.Therefore,silicone has been widely concerned by researchers at home and abroad.In this paper,the main research progress and application directions of carbon-silicone composite at home and abroad in recent years are reviewed.

Piezoresistive behavior of elastomer composites with segregated network of carbon nanostructures and alumina

Electrically conductive elastomer composites(CECs)with segregated networks of conductive nanofillers show high potential in stretchable strain sensors due to balanced mechanical and electrical properties,yet the sensitivity at low strain is generally insufficient for practical application.Herein,we report an easy and effective way to improve the resistive response to low strain for CECs with segregated network structure via adding stiff alumina into carbon nanostructures(CNS).The CEC containing 0.7 wt%CNS and 5 wt%Al_(2)O_(3) almost sustains the same elasticity(elongation at break of~900%)and conductivity(0.8 S/m)as the control,while the piezoresistive sensitivity is significantly improved.Thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU)composites with a segregated network of hybrid nanofillers(CNS and Al_(2)O_(3))show much higher strain sensitivity(Gauge factor,GF-566)at low strain(45%strain)due to a local stress concentration effect,this sensitivity is superior to that of TPU/CNS composites(GF-11).Such a local stress concentration effect depends on alumina content and its distribution at the TPU particle interface.In addition,CECs with hybrid fillers show better reproducibility in cyclic piezoresistive behavior testing than the control.This work offers an easy method for fabricating CECs with a segregated filler network offering stretchable strain sensors with a high strain sensitivity.

Effects of Conductive Carbon Black on Thermal and Electrical Properties of Barium Titanate/Polyvinylidene Fluoride Composites for Road Application

In the field of roads,due to the effect of vehicle loads,piezoelectric materials under the road surface can convert mechanical vibration into electrical energy,which can be further used in road facilities such as traffic signals and street lamps.The barium titanate/polyvinylidene fluoride(BaTiO_(3)/PVDF)composite,the most common hybrid ceramic-polymer system,was widely used in various fields because the composite combines the good dielectric property of ceramic materials with the good flexibility of PVDF material.Previous studies have found that conductive particles can further improve the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of other composites.However,few studies have investigated the effect of conductive carbon black on the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of BaTiO_(3)/PVDF composites.In this study,BaTiO_(3)/PVDF/conductive carbon black composites were prepared with various conductive carbon black contents based on the optimum ratio of BaTiO_(3)to PVDF.The effects of conductive carbon black content on the morphologies,thermal performance,conductivities,dielectric properties,and piezoelectric properties of the BaTiO_(3)/PVDF/conductive carbon black composites were then investigated.The addition of conductive carbon black greatly enhances the conductivities,dielectric properties,and piezoelectric properties of the BaTiO_(3)/PVDF/conductive carbon black composites,especially when the carbon black content is 0.8%by weight of PVDF.Additionally,the conductive carbon black does not have an obvious effect on the morphologies and thermal stabilities of BaTiO_(3)/PVDF/conductive carbon black composites.

Enhanced microwave absorption property of silver decorated biomass ordered porous carbon composite materials with frequency selective surface incorporation

Porous carbon(PC)is a promising electromagnetic(EM)wave absorbing material thanks to its light weight,large specific surface area as well as good dissipating capacity.To further improve its microwave absorbing performance,silver coated porous carbon(Ag@PC)is synthesized by one-step hydro-thermal synthesis process making use of fir as a biomass formwork.Phase compositions,morphological structure,and microwave absorption capability of the Ag@PC has been explored.Research results show that the metallic Ag was successfully reduced and the particles are evenly distributed inward the pores of the carbon formwork,which accelerates graphitization process of the amorphous carbon.The Ag@PC composite without adding polyvinyl pyrrolidone(PVP)exhibits higher dielectric constant and better EM wave dissipating capability.This is because the larger particles of Ag give rise to higher electric conductivity.After combing with frequency selective surface(FSS),the EM wave absorbing performance is further improved and the frequency region below-10 d B is located in8.20-11.75 GHz,and the minimal reflection loss value is-22.5 dB.This work indicates that incorporating metallic Ag particles and FSS provides a valid way to strengthen EM wave absorbing capacity of PC material.

Composite polymer electrolyte reinforced by graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for room-temperature all-solid-state lithium batteries

By virtue of the flexibility and safety, polyethylene oxide(PEO) based electrolytes are regarded as an appealing candidate for all-solid-state lithium batteries. However, their application is limited by the poor ionic conductivity at room temperature, narrow electrochemical stability window and uncontrolled growth of lithium dendrite. To alleviate these problems, we introduce the ultrathin graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets(GCN) as advanced nanofillers into PEO based electrolytes(GCN-CPE). Benefiting from the high surface area and abundant surface N-active sites of GCN, the GCN-CPE displays decreased crystallinity and enhanced ionic conductivity. Meanwhile, Fourier transform infrared and chronoamperometry studies indicate that GCN can facilitate Li+migration in the composite electrolyte. Additionally, the GCN-CPE displays an extended electrochemical window compared with PEO based electrolytes. As a result, Li symmetric battery assembled with GCN-CPE shows a stable Li plating/stripping cycling performance, and the all-solid-state Li/LiNi_(0.6)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.2)O_(2)(NCM622) batteries using GCN-CPE exhibit satisfactory cyclability and rate capability in a voltage range of 3-4.2 V at 30 ℃.

Effect of SiC whiskers on the oxidation protective properties of SiC coatings for carbon/carbon composites

In order to effectively employ the unique high temperature mechanical properties of carbon/carbon composite substrates, SiC coatings reinforced by SiC whiskers were prepared by pack cementation method. The effect of SiC whiskers on the oxidation resistance properties of the single-layer coating and double-layer coating was investigated. SiC whiskers in the single-layer SiC coating have little effect on the anti-oxidation property but obviously improve the thermal shock property. The double-layer coating with inner-layer reinforced coating exhibits more perfect anti-oxidation ability than the double-layer coating with SiC inner-layer coating.

Effect of Rare Earths on Tribological Properties of Carbon Fibers Reinforced PTFE Composites

Carbon fibers （CF） were surface treated with air-oxidation and rare earths （RE）, respectively. The effect of RE surface treatment on tensile strength and tribological properties of CF reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene （PTFE） composites was invest/gated. Experimental results revealed that RE was superior to air ox/dation in improving the tensile strength, elongation, and the tensile modulus of CF reinforced PTFE （CF/PTFE） composite. Compared to the untreated and air-oxidated CF/PTFE composite, the RE treated composite had the lowest friction coefficient and specific wear rate under a given applied load and reciprocating sliding frequency. The RE treatment effectively improved the interfacial adhesion between CF and PTFE. With strong interfacial coupling, the carbon fibers carried most of the load, and direct contact and adhesion between PTFE and the counterpart were reduced, accordingly the friction and wear properties of the composite were improved.

Fabrication,microstructures,and properties of copper matrix composites reinforced by molybdenum-coated carbon nanotubes

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were coated by a molybdenum layer using carbonyl thermal decomposition process with a precursor of molybdenum hexacarbonyl. The Mo-coated CNTs （Mo-CNTs） were added into copper powders to fabricate Mo-CNT/Cu composites by means of mechanical milling followed by spark plasma sintering. The Mo-CNTs were uniform dispersion in the Cu matrix when their contents were 2.5 vo1.%-7.5 vol.%, while some Mo-CNT clusters were clearly observed at additions of 10.0 vo1.%-15.0 vol.% Mo-CNTs in the mixture. The mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of the Mo-CNT/Cu composites were characterized, and the results showed that the tensile strength and hardness were 2.0 and 2.2 times higher than those of CNT-free specimens, respectively. Moreover, the Mo-CNT/Cu composites exhibited an enhanced thermal conductivity but inferior electrical conductivity compared with sintered pure Cu. The uncoated CNT/Cu composites were fabricated by the similar processes, and the measured tensile strength, hardness, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity of the CNT/Cu composites were lower than those of the Mo-CNT/Cu composites.

Interfacial Properties Modification of Carbon Fiber/Polyarylacetylene Composites

This work was dedicated to performing surface oxidation and coating treatments on carbon fibers （CF） and investigating the changes of fiber surface properties after these treatments, including surface composition, relative volume of functional groups, and surface topography with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） and atom force microscopy （AFM） technology. The results show that, after oxidation treatments, interfacial properties between CF and non-polar polyarylacetylene （PAA） resin are remarkably modified by removing weak surface layers and increasing fiber surface roughness. Coating treatment by high char phenolic resin solution after oxidation makes interface of CF/PAA composites to be upgraded and the interfacial properties further bettered.

Yolk-shell Si/C composites with multiple Si nanoparticles encapsulated into double carbon shells as lithium-ion battery anodes

The conceptual design of yolk-shell structured Si/C composites is considered to be an effective way to improve the recyclability and conductivity of Si-based anode materials. Herein, a new type of yolk-shell structured Si/C composite (denoted as TSC-PDA-B) has been intelligently designed by rational engineering and precise control. In the novel structure, the multiple Si nanoparticles with small size are successfully encapsulated into the porous carbon shells with double layers benefiting from the strong etching effect of HF. The TSC-PDA-B product prepared is evaluated as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The TSC-PDA-B product exhibits an excellent lithium storage performance with a high initial capacity of 2108 mAh g^-1 at a current density of 100 mA g^-1 and superior cycling performance of 1113 mAh g^-1 over 200 cycles. The enhancement of lithium storage performance may be attributed to the construction of hybrid structure including small Si nanoparticles, high surface area, and double carbon shells, which can not only increase electrical conductiv让y and intimate electrical contact with Si nanoparticles, but also provide built-in buffer voids for Si nanoparticles to expand freely without damaging the carbon layer. The present findings can provide some scientific insights into the design and the application of advanced Si-based anode materials in energy storage fields.

Effects of Preform and Pyrolytic Carbon Structure on Thermophysical Properties of 2D Carbon／Carbon Composites

Four kinds of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites, including the needled carbon fiber felt/the pyrolytic carbon (two different pyrolytic carbon microstructures), the chopped carbon fiber/the resin + pyrolytic carbon (PyrC), and the carbon cloth/PyrC, named as the composites 1#, 4#, 2#, and 3#, are prepared respectively. Effects of the preform and pyrolytic carbon structure on the thermophysical properties of 2D C/C composites are studied. The C/C composites possess low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). In a range of some temperatures, the negative expansion emerges in x-y direction for four C/C composites. From 0 to 900℃, the CTE is small and almost linear with the temperatures. The C/C composites have high thermal conductivities (TCs). As a function of temperature, TCs of the C/C composites are varied with the structures of preform and pyrc as well as the direction of heat transfer. In x-y and z direction, TCs differ greatly and that in x-y direction (25.6-174 W/m·K) is several times larger than that in z direction(3.5-50 W/m·K).