Graphite Plastics

plastics in which the fillers are natural or artificial graphite or carbonized products (coke, thermoanthracite, and others). The binders in graphite plastics may be phenol-aldehyde resins, polyamides, fluoroplas-tics, or epoxy resins. Graphite plastics are used to make various filters, piston rings and other sealers, electrodes in electrostatic precipitators, casting forms, slip bearings, and gears.

Graphite plastics are produced in the form of molding powders (for example, antegmit), granules, and sealing compounds (such as epoxylite). Articles are made from molding powders by hot pressing. Granulated graphite plastics are well suited to making articles by pressure molding.

The properties of graphite plastics vary depending on the type of filler and binder. Antegmit resists thermal shocks but has low mechanical durability and is brittle: articles made of it are readily worked by cutting and abrasive tools. Sealing compounds have high adhesion to many materials and are wear-resistant. However, their thermal conduction is less than that of antegmit. Granulated graphite plastics based on polyamides and fluoroplast-4 are highly resistant to wear, as well as to oils, gasoline, and alkalies. Their shortcomings include low thermal conduction and heat resistance and a significant degree of water absorption.