Evaluation of carbonized medium-density fiberboard for electrical applications

The conversion of wood-based fiberboard materials into crack-free, monolithic, porous hard carbons is of significant interest due to their ability to perform in a multifunctional capacity. Three varieties of carbonized medium-density fiberboard (c-MDF) were studied for electrical, mechanical, and structural properties. X-ray diffraction data suggested that the volume fraction of large turbostratic crystallites increased with carbonization temperature (T-carb). The volume fraction of large turbostratic crystallites had a positive correlation with elastic modulus and electrical conductivity. The c-MDF materials were approximately isotropic with respect to elastic modulus and exhibited increasing stiffness with increasing T-carb (up to 4.5 GPa). Between 600 and 1400 degreesC, the electrical resistivity of c-MDF varied by seven orders of magnitude. The electrical resistivity of the hard carbon material in c-MDF 1400 degreesC was found to be within about an order of magnitude of polycrystalline graphite. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.