High temperature ablation and thermo-physical properties improvement of carbon fiber reinforced composite using graphene oxide nanopowder

Ablative nanocomposites were prepared by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets into resole type phenolic resin and then impregnating them into rayon-based carbon fabric. GO were dispersed into phenolic resin at 0.25, 0.75, and 1.25 wt.% loadings using high shear mixing to insure uniform GO dispersion. The morphology and structure of graphene oxide nanosheets (synthesized by a Hummers method) and the structural, thermal and ablative properties of the samples were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), oxyacetylene flame test, and Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) methods. It was found that the thermal stability and ablative properties of the GO/phenolic resin/carbon fiber composites were greatly enhanced due to the well dispersion of GO sheets in polymer matrix and the strong interfacial interaction between the GO sheets and phenolic matrix as well as layered carbon structure after pyrolysis. The specimen with 1.25 wt.% GO showed the best results in the rate of ablation, thermal diffusivity and thermal stability compared to other samples. This laminate had constant thermal diffusivity at different temperatures, and improved char yield and ablation rate to about 10% and 51%, respectively.