Abstract

A useful form of graphite is a flexible sheet or foil. Because of graphite's stability at high temperatures, flexible foil is useful in applications requiring thermal stability in corrosive environments, eg, gaskets and valve packings, and is often used as a replacement for asbestos gaskets. Carbon–graphite foam is a prime candidate for thermal protection of new, emerging carbon–carbon aerospace reentry vehicles. Pyrolytic graphite produced in massive shapes is used for missile components, rocket nozzles, and aircraft brakes for advanced high performance aircraft. Glassy, or vitreous, carbon is a black, shiny, dense, brittle material with a vitreous or glass-like appearance. Chemical inertness and low permeability have made glassy carbon a useful material for chemical laboratory crucibles and other vessels. Carbon and graphite paper has outstanding electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and moderately high strength. It is used in electrodes for electrostatic precipitators.