Mechanical, thermal, and ablative properties between graphene oxide and graphitic carbon nitride based carbon/phenolic composites: a comparative study

In this article, we investigated the interfacial, thermal and ablative properties of two nanofillers‐filled carbon/phenolic (CF/PR) composites. In particular, graphene oxide (GO) and graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C₃N₄) were used to produce lowly loaded (0.1 wt%) composites. The ablative properties of the composites were researched through an oxygen–acetylene flame torch test and were characterized through analysis of the post‐burning morphology, ablation depth and width. GO‐ and g‐C₃N₄‐filled composites showed 62.02 and 22.36% improvement in ablation resistance compared with the pristine, respectively, even with different mechanisms. The proposed mechanism of GO‐filled composite is that GO may significantly contribute to increasing the graphitization of the fiber surface and further improving the thermal resistance to high‐temperature ablation. However, thicker fiber diameter and charred layer of ablative zone in g‐C₃N₄‐filled composite can dissipate the flammable gases and improve the anti‐oxidation. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1928–E1938, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers