Preparation of a Lightweight Heat-Insulating Carbon Matrix Composite Material

With the rapid advancements in high Mach number aircraft technology, the demand for enhanced thermal protective capabilities of insulation materials has become increasingly stringent. Specifically, the performance requirements of these materials, such as high temperature resistance, impact resilience, lightweight properties, and stability, have become more rigorous. A carbon foam-reinforced carbon aerogel composite material with outstanding thermal insulation performance was successfully prepared, using resorcinol and formaldehyde as raw materials. The fabrication process involved sol-gel in-situ growth, supercritical drying carbon dioxide technology and carbonization. An advanced composite material comprising carbon aerogel, exhibiting remarkable thermal insulation properties, has been developed. This material offers significant potential for applications in thermal management and insulation-demanding technologies.The effect of carbon aerogel on the thermal properties of composite material was studied.The results indicate that the pores of the coal-derived carbon foam are filled with carbon aerogel, and the introduction of carbon aerogel makes the composite have a lower thermal conductivity (0.078 W/(m ·K)) at low density (0.38 g/cm³), and the thermal properties has seen a 50% enhancement compared to the base carbon foam material, which can be used as a good thermal insulation material.