Fabrication of low specific resistance ceramic carbon composites by colloidal processing using glucose as soluble carbon source

Ceramic carbon composites were fabricated by colloidal processing using glucose as soluble carbon source. Glucose is converted into conducting carbon at high temperature treatment. Ceramic carbon composites were sintered in flowing argon at $$1400{^\circ }\hbox {C}$$ showing resistor behaviour even at low carbon content (1 wt%). In this work, ceramic carbon composites were fabricated using alumina–clay slurries with addition of glucose as a soluble carbon source. Morphology of the sintered samples was characterized by field emission gun (FEG) electron microscopy. Phase analysis was done by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electrical properties of ceramic carbon composites were measured by broad band dielectric spectrometer. Carbon produced from glucose at high temperature was characterized independently by BET surface area, dynamic light scattering, field emission gun scanning electron microscopy, field emission gun transmission electron microscopy, XRD and Raman spectroscopy.