Fabrication of Short Graphite Fiber Preforms for Liquid Metal Infiltration

Starch-based and paraffin wax (PW)-based binders were used to fabricate short graphite fiber preforms for liquid metal infiltration. The effects of different binder components and debinding process parameters on the properties of short graphite fiber preforms were investigated. The results indicate that the graphite fiber preforms with appropriate porosity of 58-62% and relatively high compressive strength of about 2-3 MPa can be made by starch-based and PW-based binders. The graphite fiber preforms made from the PW-based binder exhibit higher compressive strength than that of the starch-based binder. Graphite fiber reinforced aluminum composites fabricated by utilizing these preforms through vacuum pressure infiltration have relatively high density of 98.5% and thermal conductivity of 186.3 W/m K, proving the applicability of the prepared preforms for liquid metal infiltration.