Characteristics of carbon materials

Carbon materials are inorganic non-metallic materials, which have many unique physical and chemical properties, and also have the characteristics of cleverly combining the properties of other solid materials (such as metals, ceramics, and organic polymer materials). Carbon materials are similar to metal materials in terms of electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity; they have similarities with ceramic materials in terms of heat resistance and corrosion resistance, and they are similar to organic materials in terms of light weight, reducibility and molecular structure diversity. Polymer materials have similarities. This shows that carbon materials have the characteristics of the three main solid materials of metals, ceramics and organic polymers. And it has properties that other materials cannot replace, such as high specific elastic modulus, high specific strength, high shock absorption rate, good biocompatibility, self-lubricity and neutron deceleration ability. In addition, due to the formation process of polycrystalline carbon and the degree of growth of microcrystals and the diversity of their aggregation states, the properties of carbon materials are easily changed to adapt to various uses. In the past 30 years or so, the carbon material supply industry has experienced rapid growth. The quality and performance of the original products have been greatly improved, and a large number of new varieties have emerged, which has made its application scope increasingly expanded. At present, carbon materials have been widely used in metallurgy, chemical industry, electronics, electrical appliances, machinery and other industries, as well as nuclear energy and aerospace industries, and even as materials for human physiology. Carbon materials have become indispensable structural materials and functional materials in modern industry.