The comparison of reinforcement used on carbon foam between graphite and carbon whisker on mechanical and physical properties

The comparison of reinforcement use on carbon foam between graphite and carbon whisker was studied in this paper. Polyurethane foam is used as a template medium for the fabrication of carbon foam by using template carbonization. Graphite and carbon whisker with various concentration from 0.1% to 0.3% was added into natural carbon foam. The morphology, physical (porosity test) and mechanical (compressive strength) properties were analyzed. The structure of carbon foam with reinforcement added can be analyzed through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) besides, the different ways embedded of graphite and carbon whisker on carbon foam shows clearly. For the porosity test, the graphite porosity decrease (67.38% to 56.93%) with the increase of graphite concentration added and for carbon whisker porosity increase (54.97% to 74.6%) when the concentration increase. The compressive strength for graphite increase when the concentration added increase while for carbon whisker, the compressive strength decrease when the concentration increase. The higher compressive strength for graphite is 1.84 N/mm2 (0.3% added) and for carbon whisker at 0.92 N/mm2 (0.1% added). Different reinforcement use will affect the properties of carbon foam.