• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.412-420
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• 2018

In this work, phenolic resins containing conductive carbon fillers, such as, petroleum coke, carbon black, and graphite, were used to improve the surface heating elements by impregnating a pitch-based carbon paper. The influence of conductive carbon fillers on physicochemical properties of the carbon paper was investigated through electrical resistance measurement and thermal analysis. As a result, the surface resistance and interfacial contact resistivity of the carbon paper were decreased linearly by impregnating the carbon fillers with phenol resins. The increase of carbon filler contents led to the improvement of electrical and thermal conductivity of the carbon paper. Also, the heating characteristics of the surface heating element were examined through the applied voltage of 1~5 V. With the applied voltage, it was confirmed that the surface heating element exhibited a maximum heating characteristic of about $125.01^{\circ}C$(5 V). These results were attributed to the formation of electrical networks by filled micropore between the carbon fibers, which led to the improvement of electrical and thermal properties of the carbon paper.