Carbon Science Center to Pioneer Research for Multiple Applications

A global leader in materials science recently celebrated the grand opening of its new multi-million dollar development center which will pioneer research into carbon materials and technologies.

Morgan Advanced Materials has opened the doors to its Carbon Science Center of Excellence (CoE) research and development facility at Penn State University. The CoE, which is a collaboration between the manufacturer and the university, will focus on carbon-based materials used in a wide range of industries and engineering applications, including aerospace, healthcare, industrial, power generation and more.

Among many projects, the company is working on electrified rail products including carbon current collectors used at the top of train carriages to connect to overhead wires.

“The work undertaken at our facility with Morgan will be truly revolutionary,” said Neil Sharkey, Vice President for Research at Penn State. “The electrified rail carbon strips that Morgan is already working on, for example, will change how train transport works, making it both safer and more reliable, and decreasing downtime. Our partnership with Morgan places us at the forefront of developing new methodologies, in line with Morgan’s mission and values as well as our own. Their existing expertise and insights will help our researchers and students turn new ideas into commercially viable solutions. The Center itself is a huge attraction for other businesses to join the Innovation Park, furthering job creation and economic development in Pennsylvania.”

Located at the Penn State Innovation Park, Morgan’s CoE is close to the university staff, students and facilities. Penn State’s reputation as a world-renowned institution for carbon and materials science-focused research and its collaborative approach to working with business was key when choosing a partner for the project. The partnership brings together resources, experience, and knowledge from both sides, with researchers and scientists on site, many of whom have existing ties to Penn State.

Despite specializing in carbon science materials, the CoE will be utilized by Morgan’s wider businesses and, to date, has also become the home of research projects for the company’s Thermal Ceramics, Technical Ceramics, and Braze Alloys businesses.

“We’re incredibly proud to have launched this ground-breaking Center of Excellence with Penn State,” said Mike Murray, Chief Technology Officer at Morgan Advanced Materials. “It marks an important milestone in both organizations’ history, as we both strive for excellence and understanding of the properties and uses of carbon. With brilliant science minds on our doorstep, we hope the synergies created between us can accelerate our engineering and solutions for our customers, while benefitting more and more industries going forward.”

“Our Centers of Excellence ensure Morgan remains at the forefront of materials development on a global scale,” said Pete Raby, Chief Executive Officer at Morgan Advanced Materials. “In addition to helping us to create world-leading materials, our partnership with Penn State also allows us to recruit some of the best talent in carbon science and provide unrivaled training to our technologists and engineers.”