MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY


Research work on carbon composites could provide answers to sticking points in the rail and solar energy sectors, according to Morgan Advanced Materials


analytical and synthetic techniques have the potential to improve them while cutting production costs and making greener, more energy efficient products. This is the opinion of Professor Ian Kinloch and


his group in the Department of Materials at the University of Manchester, who are collaborating with Morgan Advanced Materials with the aim of creating a deep understanding of the new breed of carbon-carbon composites.


FIVE YEAR PROJECT The Royal Academy of Engineering has awarded Professor Kinloch a research chair, which will help fund the project. Using experimentation, state-of- the-art analysis and analytical models, the five-year project will pave the way to new carbon pantographs, high-temperature thermal insulation materials and improved seals and bearings. Carbon-carbon composites range from simple


unidirectional fibre reinforced structures, to more complex 3-dimensional structures. Their properties mean that they are designed to higher strength and stiffness specifications and, unlike metals, can maintain these properties at high temperatures. For those who aren’t familiar with carbon, this


element forms different structures depending on synthesis conditions. Diamond and graphite are the most familiar forms, but there are also nanotubes, buckyballs (more commonly known as fullerenes), and most recently, graphene. These various forms are what give carbon its huge range of material properties, leading to increased versatility in use. Funding this research allows Professor Kinloch and


Morgan Advanced Materials to discover new ways in which carbon-carbon composites can benefit a large number of industrial applications and use cases.


26 /// Testing & Test Houses /// February 2020


New material sets C


arbon composites are in high demand worldwide, particularly in the aerospace, automotive, mechanical engineering and rail sectors. Yet as many of these materials were developed decades ago, modern


RAILWAY PANTOGRAPHS: A NEW DIRECTION One sector which could benefit greatly from improved carbon-carbon composites is rail. Commonly used within the railway sector, pantographs are the apparatus mounted on the roof of an electric train, tram or bus. With an increased demand for greener public transport due to rapidly growing populations, the electrical output needs to increase to accommodate the increased footfall and additional comforts such as air-conditioning, Wi-Fi and charging ports. Morgan already offers a variety of carbon current


collector pantograph strips for overhead pantograph applications which uniquely allows a reduction in pan head (the conductive strip that rubs along the live cable) mass, therefore reducing service and maintenance costs. However, as many in the electric train, tram and bus industry will know, energy efficiency needs to be improved to reduce the overall carbon footprint. Thus, more conductive collector strips are continually in demand in transport markets. In order to find even better efficiency over the


lifetime of the pantograph, detailed research will be conducted on how pantographs made from carbon- carbon composites can offer better electrical conductivity. By doing so, pantograph powered systems will be able to run with less power consumption and under a wider variety of conditions. This includes extremes in temperature, or in


adverse weather conditions, which are currently constant challenges for these systems. Other conditions that can affect pantograph performance include the different types of overhead wire system being used, as well as the speed the train is travelling. Achieving a more environmentally and


sustainable composite for pantographs also has benefits in terms of commercial savings, value and global issues. By making trains more energy


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