Nagore Ibarra-Gonzalez
- PhD student
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About
Nagore studied Materials Engineering at TECNUN, University of Navarra (San Sebastián, Spain), where she obtained her first degree in 2007. Currently, she is carrying out her PhD project on carbon nanotube staple yarn/carbon composites in fibre form at the MML group, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge.
Research
Carbon fibre (CF) is readily available as reinforcement in composite materials. Although stiff and strong, it is brittle so can be damaged during preforming, especially if derived from mesophase pitch. Conversely, carbon nanotube staple yarn (CNT-SY) is an engineering fibre with the textile properties of a sewing thread. CNT-SY provides a means to resolve formability, internal tension and joining problems encountered with CF - although at the cost of showing a stiffness and strength reduced up to a factor of ten. The question which naturally arises is whether it is possible to conceive a material which could combine the best qualities of both CF and CNT-SY into one material. This is the aim of her research.