Thermal conductivity and microstructure of Ti-doped graphite

Abstract Ti doped and Si–Ti doped graphites have been developed. The influence of the dopants on the properties and microstructure of doped graphites was analyzed. Test results reveal that Ti doped graphite has excellent bending strength and high thermal conductivity, with highest values reaching 50.2 MPa and 424 W m −1 K −1 for a Ti concentration of 15 wt% in the raw materials. Si added simultaneously with Ti promotes the growth of graphite crystals resulting in an increased thermal conductivity. A kind of Si–Ti doped graphite has been developed with thermal conductivity as high as 494 W m −1 K −1 by optimizing the compositions. Correlation between the content of dopant and the properties and microstructure of doped graphites was studied, and catalytic graphitization mechanism of dopants is also discussed.