Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
The extraordinary mechanical properties of commercial carbon fiber are due to the unique graphitic morphology of the spun filaments. Contemporary advanced structural composites exploit these properties by creating a disconnected network of graphitic filaments held together by an appropriate matrix. Carbon foam derived from a blown mesophase pitch precursor can be considered to be an interconnected network of graphitic ligaments. As such interconnected networks, they represent a potential alternative reinforcing phase for structural composite materials. Based on this notion, consideration is given to novel forms of graphitic carbon and the processing routes to create hybrid composites, such as net shape fabrication and fiber placement processes.