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ABSTRACT
Pyrocarbons are dense carbons the structure of which is close to graphite, i.e. formed by a stacking of graphenic layers containing 2D, 1D or point defects. They are prepared by a gas-phase route like chemical vapor deposition ; accordingly, they have a variable nanotexture. This article describes the processing and characterization techniques, their structural and textural classification, in relation with their properties, which lead them to be used in numerous high-tech applications.
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Read the articleAUTHORS
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Gérard L. VIGNOLES: Professor - Laboratoire des Composites ThermoStructuraux (LCTS), University of Bordeaux, France
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Patrick WEISBECKER †: Research engineer - ThermoStructural Composites Laboratory (LCTS), CNRS, Bordeaux, France
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Jean-Marc LEYSSALE: Research Manager - ISM Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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Stéphane JOUANNIGOT: Design engineer - ThermoStructural Composites Laboratory (LCTS), CNRS, Bordeaux, France
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Georges CHOLLON: Research Manager - Thermostructural Composites Laboratory (LCTS), CNRS, Bordeaux, France
INTRODUCTION
Pyrocarbons are dense carbons with a graphite-like structure, consisting of a stack of graphene sheets containing 2D, 1D and point defects. They are produced from the gas phase, by chemical deposition. They are highly variable in structure and texture, with multi-scale organization from the nanometer down to the micrometer. Their properties of interest are highly dependent on this.
The aim of this article is to provide a coherent body of knowledge and techniques for mastering the design and application of these materials.
The various variants of their manufacturing processes will first be described. Then, their structural characterization at various scales using a wide range of techniques (optical and electron microscopy, X-ray, neutron and electron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy...) will be discussed, leading to a classification, linked to manufacturing conditions. It will be shown that it is not possible to describe and classify these materials using a single criterion, but that on the contrary it is necessary to have a simultaneous description of the structure (and above all its defects) and texture (i.e. the degree of anisotropy). Structural modeling will be presented for some of them. Finally, their physical, mechanical and thermal characterizations will be described and related to their structure. The effect of heat treatment on structure and properties will be demonstrated. Pyrocarbons have numerous applications in aeronautics, space, energy, biomaterials, electrochemistry, etc., which will be described at the end of the article.
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KEYWORDS
energy | materials characterization | carbon-based materials | aerospace
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Pyrolytic carbons or pyrocarbons
Pyrocarbon definitions
Bibliography
Software tools
JUHAS (P.), DAVIS (T.), FARROW (C.L.) and BILLINGE (S.J.L.). – PDFgetX3 (Linux version), [Software]. Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
CAMPBELL (A.A.), CAMPBELL (K.B.) and WAS (G.S.). – GAAP [Software]. Michigan University, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
PETERSON (P.F.), GUTMANN (M.), PROFFEN (T.) and BILLINGE (S.J.L.). – PDFgetN (Win32 version) [Software]. Oak Ridge National...
Websites
[W1 :WAD11-web] WADE Mark (November 17, 2011)
https://www.astronautix.com/r/rl-10b-2.html (consulted on November 8, 2023)
[W2 :HER14-web] ArianeGroup
https://www.ariane.group/fr (consulted on...
Events
Symposium: annual symposium of the Société francophone d'étude des carbones (SFEC) takes place every year
Congress: Annual World Congress of Carbon, takes place every year (1 year out of 3 in Europe).
Directory
Manufacturers – Suppliers – Distributors (non-exhaustive list)
Medical pyrocarbons
Tornier company, Stryker group
https://www.stryker.com/us/en/search.html ?q=pyrocarbon
Medtronic Company
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