The Development of Sustainable Replacements for Coal Tar Pitch.

煤焦油沥青（CTP）用作碳电极（例如用于铝冶炼）、石墨电刷和集电器（例如用于电机和电动火车）以及金属工业的熔融金属输送部件的可碳化/可石墨化粘合剂。CTP，虽然，是化石衍生的，是一种有毒化学品下的'日落' REACH状态。木焦油生物沥青（WTB），从木屑蒸馏获得，显示出作为一个更安全和可再生来源的粘合剂的前景。然而，目前WTB的碳转化率低，它不能很好地溶解，并且它具有差的物理性质。该项目将致力于下一代WTB，通过蒸馏控制其组分化学，通过催化剂和成核剂（如石墨烯）实现有效的碳化，通过更安全的溶剂和结合颗粒的表面化学改变其流变性和润湿性，并通过添加填料改善其性能。将使用电子显微镜、原子力显微镜、拉曼光谱、机械测试和阻抗谱对所得材料进行研究。研究领域：能源应用材料、Net-zeo、可持续性、碳纳米技术

Coal Tar Pitch (CTP) is used as a carbonisable/graphitisable binder for carbon electrodes (e.g. for aluminium smelting), graphite electric brushes and current collectors (e.g. for motors and on electric trains), and molten metal-conveying components for the metal industries. CTP, though, is fossil derived and is a toxic chemical under 'sunset' REACH status. Wood Tar Biopitch (WTB), obtained from the distillation of sawdust, shows promise as a safer and renewably-sourced binder. However, currently WTB's conversion yield to carbon is low, it does not impregnate well and it has poor physical properties. This project will work on the next generation of WTB through controlling its component chemistry via distillation, enabling efficient carbonisation via catalysts and nucleating agents (e.g. graphene), modifying its rheology and wetting through safer solvents and surface chemistry of bound particles and improving its properties through the addition of fillers. The resulting materials will be studied using electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, mechanical testing and impedance spectroscopy.Research Areas: Materials for energy applications, Net-zeo, Sustainability, Carbon Nanotechnology