High-purity layers of pyrocarbon (PyC) are primarily used for sealing of the surfaces of graphite or CFC components which permits a considerable expansion of the fields of application of these components. On the one hand, this sealing means that particles are not emitted and that chemical compounds cannot penetrate the porous structures of graphite and CFC any more. On the other hand, the considerably higher resistance of the pyrocarbon compared with graphite and CFC leads to a considerable extension of the lifetime under corrosive conditions.

Whether it is furnace components, support plates or melting pots with direct contact to the molten masses, the applications are diverse. In case a high purity and/ or chemical resistance and/ or low particle emissions are important, a pyrocarbon layer can increase the lifetime of a high-quality component. For this reason, the semiconductor industry, medical engineering, the solar cell industry, the aerospace industry or analytical engineering form some of the typical fields of application of graphites and CFC components with pyrocarbon layers.

These layers are produced with the help of chemical vapour depositions (CVD) with a broad range of volatile hydrocarbons as possible precursors.