Abstract
Carbon fiber reinforced carbon (C/C) composite materials with low density, high specific strength and elastic modulus, high ablation property, high frictional and wear properties have been used in the field of aerospace engineering and vehicle industry. Further improvement in their manufacturing processes and brittle properties are requested as one of the most promising advanced composite materials. Mechanical and other properties should be improved by controlling the microstructures in carbon fiber and matrix carbon and their interfacial properties. In the meantime, a series of nanocarbon materials represented by fullerenes and carbon nanotubes began to be regarded as future advanced high performance materials since their discovery before and after 1990. Nanocarbon reinforced plastic composites are also reported as new nanoscaled composite materials with controlled microstructures and interfacial properties. Carbonized composite materials with nanocarbons are, therefore, expected to possess improved mechanical strength, fracture behavior, frictional and wear properties, electrical conductivity, and thermal properties. Here we review the preparation and properties of nanocarbon reinforced carbon composite materials with our recent proposals concerning the nano-C/C composite materials.
