糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Senior Wins SURF Grant for Sustainable Graphite Research
Zach Frank, a mechanical engineering student at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, has been awarded a $4,000 Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) grant from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to support his research on developing a low-friction coating using recycled graphite from lithium-ion batteries.
Working under the mentorship of Dr. Sujan Ghosh, a materials science expert and assistant professor of engineering, Frank is focused on creating an eco-friendly alternative to traditional lubricative coatings, which are widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries to reduce friction and enhance wear resistance.
鈥淭his grant is very exciting because I know how competitive it is,鈥� Frank said. 鈥淚t gives me the opportunity to gain hands-on research experience and work with Dr. Ghosh, who has one of the most impressive research portfolios I鈥檝e ever seen.鈥�
Frank鈥檚 project seeks to repurpose graphite rods from used batteries, purifying and optimizing them for use as a dry lubricant. This sustainable approach offers a promising alternative to conventional coatings without sacrificing performance.
鈥淭he demand for high-performance, environmentally friendly lubrication solutions is growing, especially in industries where reducing friction is critical,鈥� Frank and Ghosh said in their project abstract. 鈥淏y recycling graphite, we鈥檙e providing a more sustainable option while maintaining excellent tribological properties.鈥�
The research involves purifying the recycled graphite and optimizing its particle size before combining it with a binder system to enhance adhesion, durability, and mechanical integrity. The coating will be applied to stainless-steel substrates and analyzed using surface morphology studies, tribological testing, and thermal stability evaluations.
Initial findings indicate that the recycled graphite-based coating performs comparably or even better than conventional graphite coatings, making it a strong candidate for future industrial applications.
After graduating in May, Frank is now pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in mechanical engineering at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, with a particular interest in energy and sustainability engineering.
Outside of research, Frank is actively involved on campus as a member of Tau Alpha Pi, an engineering technology honor society, the Little Rock Robotics Team, as well as a musician, playing trumpet in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Wind Ensemble and Little Rock Pep Band.
鈥淭his project is a great opportunity to explore research and development, and it will be a strong addition to my resume,鈥� Frank said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see where this work can go in the future.鈥�