NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Intercalated graphite electrical conductorsFor years NASA has wanted to reduce the weight of spacecraft and aircraft. Experiments are conducted to find a lightweight synthetic metal to replace copper. The subject of this paper, intercalated graphite, is such a material. Intercalated graphite is made by heating petroleum or coal to remove the hydrogen and to form more covalent bonds, thus increasing the molecular weight. The coal or petroleum eventually turns to pitch, which can then be drawn into a fiber. With continued heating the pitch-based fiber releases hydrogen and forms a carbon fiber. The carbon fiber, if heated sufficiently, becomes more organized in parallel layers of hexagonally arranged carbon atoms in the form of graphite. A conductor of intercalated graphite is potentially useful for spacecraft or aircraft applications because of its low weight.
Document ID
19840001997
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Banks, B. A.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1983
Publication Information
Publication: Aircraft Elect. Secondary Power
Subject Category
Electronics And Electrical Engineering
Accession Number
84N10064
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available