Carbon Materials Developing innovative materials to improve strength, efficiency, and sustainability.
Kevin Puckett
Coal to Graphite for Batteries
We convert coal – one of the most abundant and affordable carbon source – to synthetic carbon (e.g. graphite and hard carbon) to create high-value, carbon negative electrodes for energy storage. On the front end, our research focuses to increase the efficiency, and yield of the processes to make graphite. On the application side, we are focused on understanding how the microstructure of the active material – dependent on the precursor and high-temperature treatment – affects the electrochemical performance. Our dry lab is fully equipped for the fabrication and testing of both coin and pouch cells.
UKnow Article: UK researchers bridge Kentucky’s energy past with world’s energy future
PEDOT:PSS
Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) fibers are p-type conductive polymer fibers that combine excellent electrical and mechanical performance, making them attractive for wearable and flexible electronics. Using a continuous wet spinning technique developed at UK CAER, these fibers achieve conductivities exceeding 2000 S/cm, along with a tensile modulus over 15 GPa. Ongoing work is focused on advancing multifilament spinning for production of continuous fiber tows for greater processibility. Our single filament fibers have already been applied in a range of applications, including organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and thermoelectric devices.
doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.13869
Recombinant Hagfish Protein
As a natural defense mechanism, the hagfish (genus Myxinidae) secretes copious amounts of slime. This slime's strength and flexibility comes from a web of thin fibers. These fibers have impressive mechanical properties, and are being examined for practical use. However use of - and production of - native fibers is impractical, and so research has instead gone into recombinant hagfish protein: both production of recombinant proteins and spinning of them into usable fibers.
Carbon spinning
Carbon fiber is a highly desired material for structural applications requiring high strength and stiffness and low weight but has seen only incremental improvements in properties over the last few decades. Further increases in carbon fiber specific properties, including tensile strength and elasticity, would further propel its unique capabilities. One method to produce high specific property carbon fibers for structural applications is the development of hollow carbon fibers. The UK CAER Carbon Materials group has undergone multiple projects to test and examine hollow core carbon fibers.
The Spinline
Get a look behind the scenes at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research's Carbon Precursor Fiber Spinline, the largest of its kind in North America.
Carbon videos
Recent News
UK researchers bridge Kentucky’s energy past with world’s energy future
11 researchers selected for awards from Materials Science Research Priority Area
Provost IMPACT Award: Bridging biology and electronics
Engineering tomorrow: Morris’ path in STEM, passion for mentoring the next generation
Coal to critical elements: $5 million DOE award propels UK’s refined materials work
Featured Publictions
|
|
|
|