Engineering Carbons

There are many applications for diamonds and related materials, e.g., diamondlike carbon films, and there are potential applications for Fullerenes and carbon nanotubes that have not yet been realised. However, the great majority of engineering carbons, including most of those described in this book, have graphitic microstructures or disordered graphitic microstructures. Also, most engineering carbon materials are derived firom organic precursors by heat-treatment in inert atmospheres (carbonisation). A selection of technically- 

Primary precursor Secondary precursor Example products  

Hydrocarbon pyrocarbons, carbon blacks, vapour grown carbon  

Coals mesophase pitch coal chars coal tar pitch carbon mesocarbon microbeads, carbon fibers semi-coke, calcined coke activated carbons premium cokes, carbon fibers, binder and matrix 

Polymers mesophase pitch polyacrylonitrile carbons mesocarbon microbeads, carbon fibers PAN-based carbon fibers  

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It is beyond the scope of this chapter to review structure and bonding in each class of engineering carbons listed in Table 5. Instead, a generic description of microstructure and bonding in these materials will be attempted. The evolution in understanding of the structure of engineering carbons and graphites has followed the initial application of X-ray diffraction and subsequent application... 

Chapter 1 contains a review of carbon materials, and emphasizes the stmeture and chemical bonding in the various forms of carbon, including the foui" allotropes diamond, graphite, carbynes, and the fullerenes. In addition, amorphous carbon and diamond fihns, carbon nanoparticles, and engineered carbons are discussed. The most recently discovered allotrope of carbon, i.e., the fullerenes, along with carbon nanotubes, are more fully discussed in Chapter 2, where their structure-property relations are reviewed in the context of advanced technologies for carbon based materials. The synthesis, structure, and properties of the fullerenes and... 

Collins, P. G. Arnold, M. S. Avouris, P. 2001. Engineering carbon nanotubes and nanotube circuits using electrical breakdown. Science 292 706-709. 

Engineered carbons have foimd intensive use as adsorbents because of their porous and highly developed internal surface areas as well as their complex chemical structures. 

Chief Engineer Carbon is the best deal and lead is the worst deal. 

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