Carbon-carbon vs. Thermoset PI

Carbon-carbon and thermoset PI belong to fundamentally different material chemistries. Carbon-carbon is a ceramic material, while thermoset PI is polymeric. Therefore, their performance will be even more dissimilar than would be suggested by the difference in properties. There are 11 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (22, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is carbon-carbon and the bottom bar is thermoset PI.

Carbon-Carbon Thermoset Polyimide (PI)

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Compressive (Crushing) Strength, MPa		240
Compressive (Crushing) Strength, MPa		120 to 210

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		19
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		37 to 81

Thermal Properties

Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		2400
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		260

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		760
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1130

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		40
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.29 to 1.7

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		4.0
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		38 to 54

Electrical Properties

Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		-5.0
Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		15

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		1.7
Density, g/cm³		1.4 to 1.6

Common Calculations

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		3.0
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		6.5 to 16

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		9.1
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		16 to 30

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		31
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.18 to 0.95