Advanced materials - Carbon and synthetic diamond

Almost 40 years ago, initially at the Vinca Institute, and then at other Serbian scientific centres, started a research on advanced carbon materials, which ran parallel to the corresponding research in the world. The research in Serbia comprised pyrolytic carbon, carbon fibres and composites in which carbon fibres reinforce polymer and carbon matrices, carbon textile with high sorption capacity, and glass-like carbon. Being oriented toward application, the research was conducted in connection with definite industrial companies or users, and involved studies of processes related to preparation of materials and their properties. Technological procedures for material preparation were developed and related semi-industrial or laboratory equipment were built, while pyrolytic carbon and polymer-matrix composite parts were manufactured industrially. Research related to diamond synthesis at low pressure using chemical vapour deposition, as well as its application, has been conducted during the last decade at the Vinca Institute and several other centres. The methods of synthesis using combustion flame, DC are jet and hot filament have been developed. Considerable improvement of cutting characteristics, as verified in the industry, has been achieved by coating tungsten carbide cutting tools with a thin diamond film. Another application studied is related to heat sinks for electronic devices.Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Department of Mathematics, Physics and Geo-Sciences, Conference on Applied Physics in Serbia, May 27-29, 2002, Belgrade, Yugoslavi