Development of Advanced Carbon Products at National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, India

Abstract

Carbon is one of the most fascinating materials ever known to the mankind since ancient times. Carbon products form indispensable components of almost all industries catering to the wide needs of human life. The versatility of this material is due to its remarkable characteristics such as capability to with stand high temperatures up to 3000^oC in protective environments, increased strength with increasing temperature up to 2500°C, good thermal shock resistance, low coefficient of thermal expansion, good thermal and electrical conductivities, high resistance to chemical attack, low friction and wear and low density. Such a unique combination of properties has generated globally an increased interest in this material than ever before. This has resulted in the development of many more newer carbon products suited to modern -age engineering and highly specialized applications like nose-tips, leading edges and exhaust cones of space-crafts, first-wall material for nuclear reactors, and brake-pads of all modern aircrafts, racing cars, and fast-moving rails etc.<br><br> The Carbon Group of NPL has been engaged in the science and technology of carbon for the last over two decades. As a result of sustained efforts, the Group has developed over the past fifteen years a variety of advanced carbon products, namely, Flexible Graphite, PANEX Fibres, Industrial-grade Carbon Fibres, Carbon-carbon Composites, Laser-resistant Composites, Aviation-grade Brushes, Glassy Carbon, QI-free Coal Tar Pitch, High Density - High Strength – Isotropic Graphite and Ilizarov Carbon Composites Rings. The technologies of most of these products have been successfully commercialised <i>/ </i>utilised by the respective industries or organizations. The present paper gives a brief description of the process technologies involved in the development of these products at NPL, New Delhi.