Jack Lackey, Professor

      Education 
      Ph.D., North Carolina State University, 1970
      M.S., North Carolina State University, 1963
      B.S., North Carolina State University, 1961

      Began at Tech
      In Winter 1986 as a Principal Research Scientist at the Georgia
         Tech Research Institute; transferred to the Woodruff School as
         a Professor in Spring 1997

      		Dr. Lackey

      Research Areas and Descriptors
      Mechanics of Materials and Manufacturing

      Nuclear fuel and waste processing, ceramic and metallic coatings, composites and rapid prototyping

      Background
      Prior to coming to Georgia Tech, Dr. Lackey conducted research in the areas of process and equipment development for nuclear fuel fabrication, nuclear waste disposal, and the fabrication of ceramic coatings and composites. His doctoral research centered on determining the mechanism (ions versus electrons) by which electrical current is transported in aluminum oxide. For a brief period, he was involved in the fabrication and testing of ceramics and cermets (a mixture of ceramic and metal) for use as nose cones for missiles and fuel for rockets propelled by nuclear power. Since 1970 his research has focused on using chemical vapor deposition, which is a process for depositing ceramic and metal coatings. Initially, this work emphasized fluidized bed coating of nuclear fuel or waste particles, but since 1980, the focus has been on the fabrication of ceramic coatings and composites. These latter materials are lightweight, stiff, resistant to corrosion and oxidation, and retain their strength even at very high temperatures; thus they are useful as high-temperature structural materials, such as required in a variety of advanced heat engines.

      Research
      The major limitation of ceramics for structural applications is their brittleness. Dr. Lackey is investigating methods to improve the mechanical toughness of ceramics for industrial sponsors as well as the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy. Reinforcement with high-strength ceramic fibers triples the toughness, but further improvement is needed for most applications. One approach is to laminate the matrix, that is, the matrix is composed of alternating thin layers of two materials. Chemical vapor infiltration, a variant of the chemical vapor deposition process where a coating is deposited inside a fibrous preform, is used to prepare laminated matrix composites. Conventional and novel ceramics are being pursued as layer materials.

      composite materialDr. Lackey also has extensive experience in using chemical vapor deposition to deposit two materials simultaneously. He also designs, constructs, and operates processing equipment, including continuous fiber coating systems, and has made carbon fiber-carbon matrix composites for use in aircraft brakes and high thermal conductivity heat sinks for electronic applications.

      His recent research uses laser and gas jet chemical vapor deposition to permit rapid prototyping with ceramics and metals. Applications being pursued are scaffolding for orthopaedic implants, nanolaminated materials for improved mechanical properties, and fabrication of microelectromechanical systems.

       
      Distinctions
      • American Ceramic Society
              - Roland B. Snow Award for Best of Show in Ceramographic Contest, 1996
              - Best Paper Award, 1991
              - Fellow, 1977
      • Georgia Institute of Technology
              - Women in Engineering Faculty Excellence Award, 2001
              - Outstanding Performance in Program Development, 1991
      • American Society for Engineering Education (Southeastern Section) Best Paper Award, 2003
      • Carbon Journal 2nd Place Prize for Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation Thesis Advisor, 1997
      • Science Applications International Corporation Award for Advisor of Student Winning the Best Paper Award, 1996
      • Sigma Xi (Georgia Tech Chapter) Award for Best Ph.D. Thesis Advisor, 1995 and 1990
      • American Nuclear Society Best Paper Award, 1977
       
       
      Patents
      • Laminated Matrix Composites, U. S. Patent 6,284,357, with Stuart R. Stock, September 4, 2001
      • Fluidized Bed Coating Process with Liquid Reagent, U. S. Patent 6,187,379, February 13, 2001
      • Fabrication of Carbon/Carbon Composites by Forced Flow-Thermal Gradient Chemical Vapor Infiltration, U. S. Patent 5,916,633, with Sundar Vaidyaraman, June 29, 1999
      • Ceramic Fabric Forming Method, U. S. Patent 5,609,912, with John A. Hanigofsky, March 11, 1997
      • Rapid Process for the Preparation of Diamond Articles, U. S. Patent 5,527,747, with John A. Hanigofsky, June 18, 1996
      • Method for the Chemical Vapor Deposition of Group IB and Group VIIIB Metal Barrier Layers, U. S. Patent 5,352,656, with John A. Hanigofsky, David N. Hill, Michael J. Shapiro, E. Kent Barefield, and William B. Carter, October 4, 1994
      • Method for the Rapid Deposition with Low Vapor Pressure Reactants by Chemical Vapor, U. S. Patent 5,108,983, with E. Kent Barefield, William B. Carter, John A. Hanigofsky, and David N. Hill, April 28, 1992
      • Dispersion Toughtened Ceramic Composites and Method for Making Same, U. S. Patent 4,598,024, with David P. Stinton and Robert J. Lauf, July 1, 1986
      • Process for the Preparation of Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Composites by Chemical Vapor Deposition, U. S. Patent 4,580,524, with Anthony J. Caputo, April 8, 1986
      • Method for forming Microspheres for Encapsulation of Nuclear Waste, U. S. Patent 4,481,134, with Peter Angelini, Anthony J. Caputo, Richard E. Hutchens, and David P. Stinton, November 6, 1984
      • Method of Deposition of Silicon Carbide Layers on Substrates and Product, U. S. Patent 4,459,338, with Peter Angelini, Charles E. DeVore, Raymond E. Blanco, and David P. Stinton, July 10, 1984
      • Method for Primary Containment of Cesium Wastes, U. S. Patent 4,376,792, with Peter Angelini, David P. Stinton, Raymond E. Blanco, Walter D. Bond, and Wesley D. Arnold, Jr., March 15, 1983
      • Gas Scrubbing Liquids, U. S. Patent 4,276,063, with Robert S. Lowrie and John D. Sease, June 30, 1981
      • Method of Evaluating the Integrity of the Outer Carbon Layer of Trisco-Coated Reactor Fuel Particles, U. S. Patent 4,227,081, with Anthony J. Caputo, Dante A. Costanzo, Frank L. Layton, and David P. Stinton, October 7, 1980
      • Process to Minimize Cracking of Pyrolytic Carbon Coatings, U. S. Patent 4,068,015, with John D. Sease, January 10, 1978
      • Means for Effecting Fluidization in Pyrolytic Carbon Coating Processes, U. S. Patent 3,889,631, with John D. Sease, June 17, 1975
       
      Representative Publications
      W. J. Lackey, S. Vaidyaraman, and K. L. More. 1997. Laminated C-SiC Matrix Composites Produced by CVI. Journal of the American Ceramic Society 80(1), 113-116.
      J. S. Lewis, W. J. Lackey, and S. Vaidyaraman. 1997. Model for Prediction of Matrix Microstructure for Carbon/Carbon Composites Prepared by Forced Flow-Thermal Gradient CVI. Carbon 35(1), 103-112.
      W. J. Lackey. 1996. Structural Ceramic Coatings and Composites. In CVD of Nonmetals, W. H. Rees (editor). VCH Publishers, New York, 321-366.
      S. Vaidyaraman, W. J. Lackey, and P. K. Agrawal. 1996. Carbon/Carbon Processing by Forced Flow-Thermal Gradient Chemical Vapor Infiltration (FCVI) Using Propylene. Carbon 34(3), 347-362.
      W. J. Lackey and T. L. Starr. 1990. Fabrication of Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Composites by Chemical Vapor Infiltration: Processing, Structure and Properties. In Fiber Reinforced Ceramics, K. S. Mazdiyasni (editor). Noyes Publications, Park Ridge, New Jersey, 397-450.

      Contact Information
      Phone: (404) 894-0573
      Fax: (404) 894-9342
      Office: MARC, Room 458
      E-mail: jack.lackey@me.gatech.edu
      URLs:

      http://www.me.gatech.edu/Lackey