Ablative properties of carbon black and MWNT/phenolic composites: A comparative study

In this work, we investigated the ablative properties of two carbon nanofiller-based composites. In particular, carbon black (CB) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were used to produce highly loaded (50 wt%) phenolic composites. The thermal properties and the ablative response of the composites were studied through the pre and post-burning morphology of the burnt surfaces and an evaluation of the in-depth temperature profiles. When compared to the CB-based counterpart, the MWNT-based composite exhibited a higher thermal diffusivity and an erosion rate that was exactly localized above the flame plume. The CB-based system showed a thin charred region whilst the MWNT-based was characterized by a thick and wide pyrolyzed zone. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.