Mechanisms of the pyrolysis of phenolic resin in a carbon/phenolic composite

✍ Scribed by Kimberly A. Trick; Tony E. Saliba

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 693 KB
• Volume: 33
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-6223
• DOI: 10.1016/0008-6223(95)00092-r

✦ Synopsis

The pyrolysis of carbon/phenolic composites is a critical step in the manufacture of high temperature carbon/carbon components. Understanding the reaction kinetics of the pyrolysis reactions is essential for advancement in the processing of carbon/carbon materials. To increase the understanding of the reaction kinetics, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas product evolution analysis have been used to investigate the pyrolysis reactions of a carbon/phenolic composite system. Published mechanisms for pyrolysis of neat phenolic resin are evaluated to clarify discrepancies that exist between mechanisms and determine their applicability to a composite system. A mechanism for the pyrolysis of carbon/phenolic composites is proposed, which describes the resin pyrolysis reaction as occurring in three major reaction regions: formation of additional crosslinks, breaking of the crosslinks, and stripping of the aromatic rings.