In some way, carbon materials touch every aspect of our daily lives. Activated carbons are used for water and air purification, carbon black is used to reinforce tires, carbon fiber composites are used to manufacture ultra-light graphite sporting goods and aircraft brakes, and carbon foams are used to make fire retardant insulation.
Current research activities include projects on such materials as graphite, petroleum and metallurgical coke, activated carbon, anthracite, and pitch. An important component of the carbon materials program is the Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal (CPCPC). CPCPC is an industry-driven consortium comprised of 50 members, which is focused on the development and commercialization of technologies that produce high value carbon products from coal.
Current Activities
Penn State has a rich 50-year history in carbon materials research. Examples of carbon research activities today include:
- Catalytic graphitization of anthracite
- Development of superior binders for carbon
- Production of carbon black from tar thru steam pyrolysis of bituminous coal
- Characterization of pre-baked carbon anodes using x-ray computed tomography
- Effect of inorganic impurities on graphite oxidation
- Wetting characteristics of binder pitch on petroleum coke in the presence of surfactant additives
- Catalytic oxidation of carbon/carbon composite materials
- Automated image analysis of coke and carbon
- Thermogravimetric analysis of green carbon artifacts
- Additives for pitch polymerization
