The purpose of this paper was to search the relations between the structure of the compressed expanded graphite – polymer – turbostratic carbon composites on successive stages of technological treatment and parameters describing the acoustic emission phenomena in these materials. The acoustic emission method can be used for measurements of changes in the structure and many different properties of materials. These investigations are a continuation of our earlier studies concerning physical, mechanical and chemical properties of porous composites created on the basis of a compressed expanded graphite matrix, obtained after successive technological procedures of impregnation, polymerization and carbonization of polyfurfuryl alcohol. The aim of this work was to investigate materials obtained at different levels of technological processing, thus with different densities, porosity, physical and chemical properties, by using the acoustic emission method. In compressed expanded graphite composites structures one can differentiate two basic directions: perpendicular to the bedding plane of graphite flakes and parallel to this one. The all presented results were obtained for the uniaxial strain applied in the direction perpendicular to the bedding plane of the composite structure. Analysis of acoustic emission parameters provides information on physical and chemical processes in these materials.

The temperature of liquid steel for continuous casting determines the casting speed and cooling conditions. The failure to meet the required casting process parameters may result in obtaining slabs of inconsistent quality. Numerical methods allow for real processes to be modelled. There are professional computer programs on the market, so the results of the simulations allow us to understand the processes that occur during casting and solidification of a slab. The study attempts to evaluate the impact of the superheat temperature on the slab structure based on the industrial operating parameters of the continuous casting machine.