In-situ growth of graphene on carbon fabrics with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties for tribological applications of carbon fabrics/phenolic composites

ABSTRACTGraphene was grown on the carbon fabrics (CFs) surface using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to improve the tribological properties of CFs/resin composites. The results show that CFs/resin composites exhibited excellent thermal properties due to the formation of graphene heat conduction path. Moreover, graphene possesses edge-rich morphology and large specific surface area, which is helpful to enhance the mechanical interlocking between CFs surface and resin matrix and then improve the mechanical property. Wear rate of the modified composites decreased from 3.75 × 10-5 mm3/N m to 2.68 × 10-5 mm3/N m compared to that of the composites without graphene. The enhanced wear resistance is mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of the increased interfacial adhesion of CFs-matrix and the excellent thermal stability of composites.