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Ashley Morris, principal research engineer at CAER
The Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) at the University of Kentucky has received a U.
S.
Department of Energy grant to convert coal tar pitch into high-value carbon fibers for use in aircraft, automotive and sporting goods, and other high-performance materials
.
The $1.
8 million program includes funding from the U.
S.
Department of Energy and cost-sharing from industry and universities
.
CAER researchers and partners will convert coal tar, a by-product of coke production in the steel industry, into liquid crystalline mesophase pitch, which is then converted into carbon fibers using rapid spinning and heating
.
If successful, the new carbon fiber product could add 5 to 55 times the value of coal tar pitch and could find use in high-rigidity, low-weight composite applications such as passenger cars and light trucks
.
Matt Weisenberger, CAER's Associate Director of Materials Technology and award-winning Principal Investigator, said: "This is an exciting project for our team
.
This grant will support the development of simplified multifilament melt-spinning of mesophase pitch for the production of green (not yet carbonized) fibers, which are subsequently subjected to continuous thermal or oxidation treatments
.
The CAER team will then use the fibers to create woven preforms for composite fabrication, as well as to fill chopped carbon fibers into thermoplastics suitable for injection molding
.
As part of the project, CAER researchers will collaborate with two leading industry partners, Koppers Corporation and Materials Science LLC
.
Rodney Andrews, director of the centre, said: "This project is a perfect example of what interested us in carrying out research that will make it possible for our carbon fibre researchers to give new life to coal's by-products
.
We are delighted to stand on the 'development of coal as a Valuable product precursors' at the forefront
.
At the same time, the project also brings us the opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders to develop solutions and new technologies and bring them to market, which has always been a feature of CAER research
.
"
The University of Kentucky CAER has the largest carbon fiber spinning facility of any academic research institution in North America, and is a global leader in carbon fiber R&D and innovation
.
Carbon fiber composites are a rigid, lightweight alternative to aluminum that are increasingly important to the aerospace and automotive industries
.
Carbon fiber researchers at CAER are working on vehicle lightweighting projects, including the development of hollow carbon fibers for on-board hydrogen storage pressure vessels
.
