Preparation and characterization of carbon foams derived from aluminosilicate and phenolic resin

Aluminosilicate-reinforced carbon foams have been prepared by chemical foaming with phenolic resin as matrix precursor and aluminosilicate as the additive. The effects of the amount of aluminosilicate used on the microstructure, mechanical properties and oxidation resistance of the carbon foams have been investigated by scanning electronic microscopy, mechanical testing, and oxidation weight loss, respectively. The results show that the amount of aluminosilicate added has a significant influence on the surface roughness and the structure uniformity of carbon foams. The compressive strengths are usually higher than that of the pure carbon foam sample by as much as 60%. The percentage of weight loss of the carbon foams drops with increasing aluminosilicate content up to 11 wt%, but then increases.