Undergraduate Research Opportunities

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Fabrication of low-cost carbon-carbon composite precursor system

Project Description:

Reinforced carbon-carbon (C/C) is a high-performance composite material system consisting of a graphite matrix reinforced with carbon fiber. C/C is commonly fabricated by initially laying up the intended shape with carbon fiber infused with an organic binder, then pyrolyzing the lay-up, converting the organic binder to pure carbon. This process causes a loss in volume of the binder, leading to voids. These voids can either be filled with a carbon-forming gas and letting it sit for several days at elevated temperature or can be infused with additional binder before pyrolyzing again. This process is very time consuming and expensive. One potential avenue to reduce the cost of C/C is by utilizing semicrystalline thermoplastic polymers as the organic binder, then crosslinking it prior to pyrolysis. Semicrystalline polymers are able to compact tightly due to their crystalline nature, and by crosslinking the polymer, it allows formation of a continuous carbon system during pyrolysis. One such semicrystalline thermoplastic material is polyethylene (PE). PE is cheap and can be purchased in bulk, and has a low melting point to easily flow into a carbon fiber lay-up to serve as the matrix. Once infiltrated, PE can be crosslinked by the addition of peroxide-forming additives and heated or can be exposed to gamma radiation.

Faculty Name and Email:

Vincent Torres vxt23@psu.edu

Research Area(s):

Polymer chemistry/material science

Number of Available Positions:

2

Project Start Date:

Fall 2026

Remote or In-Person or Hybrid?

In-person (lab-based)

Estimated Time Commitment:

Five to Ten

Potential for Summer Research Continuation:

Yes

Potential for Research Credit (496/497) or Independent Study:

Yes

Required Courses or Skills:

Lab experience

Preferred Student Background:

Material science