Preparation, electrical and elastic properties of new anisotropic expanded graphite-based composites

New composite materials with application to catalyst supports or adsorbents are presented. They are made of compressed expanded graphite of various densities first impregnated by polyfurfuryl alcohol and next pyrolyzed and activated. The resultant materials are monoliths comprising a graphite backbone coated by a thin layer of active carbon. The electrical conductivity and the dynamic elastic moduli are measured on each kind of material, namely before and after carbonization, and finally after activation. The results are shown to be consistent with a percolation phenomenon: the conductivity and the rigidity thresholds are derived, and several theoretical considerations and comparisons with pure expanded graphite are made. The discussion leads to a better understanding of the structure of the materials before and after impregnation, namely the graphite backbone and the graphite-polymer or carbon composites. Besides, their conductive and elastic properties are shown to be very good. Hence, the materials are expected to have fair thermal conductivities, to be electrically regenerable (application as adsorbents) and to have an interesting life time (application as catalyst supports).