The enhanced thermal and mechanical properties of graphite foams with a higher crystallinity and apparent density

Graphite powder, which has a highly graphitic structure, is used as filler material in the preparation of graphite foams (GFms) and enhances the foams’ thermal–mechanical properties. GFms are prepared using the hydrogel template method with mesophase pitch, polyvinyl alcohol-acrylic acid (PVA-AAc) solution and graphite powder. GFms containing 0.3 w/w% added graphite exhibit as much as an 11.18% increase in crystalline thickness (Lc) compared to that of the sample without graphite powder. These increased crystalline thicknesses of GFms result in thermal conductivity increases as high as 59.30%. Furthermore, the compressive strength is increased by as much as 120.52% compared to that of the sample without graphite powder, and the apparent density is increased by as much as 4.05%. The average pore size of the GFms is controlled by the amount of graphite powder, which affects the GFms’ cell growth mechanism. These results revealed that the thermal–mechanical properties of GFms containing graphite powder with a highly graphitic structure were strongly affected by the GFms’ crystalline thickness and apparent density.