1. Introduction

Pyrocarbons are dense carbons with a graphite-like structure, consisting of a stack of graphene sheets containing 2D, 1D and point defects. They are produced from the gas phase, by chemical deposition. They are highly variable in structure and texture, with multi-scale organization from the nanometer down to the micrometer. Their properties of interest are highly dependent on this.

The aim of this article is to provide a coherent body of knowledge and techniques for mastering the design and application of these materials.

The various variants of their manufacturing processes will first be described. Then, their structural characterization at various scales using a wide range of techniques (optical and electron microscopy, X-ray, neutron and electron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy...) will be discussed, leading to a classification, linked...