Date:     Friday, 7 March 2014

Time:    11:30 - 12:30

Venue: The Mendeleev (2.32) – Chemistry Building

Abstract:

The wide range of carbon and graphite materials used in engineering applications and new developments showing significant development will first be outlined. Then the presentation will concentrate on the nature of pitch-like liquid crystalline materials, how they control the microstructure of carbons and graphite in different forms; e.g. highly oriented fibres and ribbons and graphitic foams may display exceptional thermal conductivity. The liquid crystal phase may also be used to form the matrix in carbon fibre composites with graphitic matrices and when both phases are mesophase derived the properties may be quite outstanding, leading to various space applications. The manner in which the liquid crystalline spheres in the parent precursor phase, grow, coalesce and ultimately solidify to form the embryonic graphite will be shown along with the effects of shear deformation to manipulate the preferred orientation of the graphitic planes.

Enquiries; Prof Simon Lotz
Tel. 0124202800 or e-mail: [email protected]