Cellulose as plentiful renewable polymer would be attractive as precursor for bio-based carbon fibers. However, due to a number of intrinsic properties of carbohydrates, pure cellulose is unlikely to yield high-quality carbon fibers with properties comparable to PAN-based carbon fibers on the market. Secondary biopolymers are needed to promote the formation of a turbostratic carbon structure and to increase the total carbon yield. Commercial technologies currently available to produce regenerated cellulosic filaments can solubilize – if any – only a limited type of biopolymers other than carbohydrates. A great number of biomaterials cannot be incorporated into the cellulose matrix.<br/>Ionic liquids can overcome these limitations. They are powerful solvents for an extraordinarily wide spectrum of polymeric and inorganic materials. Thus, filaments with a homogeneous multi-component matrix can be prepared. Moreover, the Lyocell-type spinning enabled by ionic liquids yields filaments with a pronounced molecular orientation parallel to the filament axis. This highly ordered structure is translated to the carbon fibers.<br/><br/>Herein, we report the preparation of hybrid fibers consisting of cellulose and other biopolymers and their potential as CF precursor. It was found that the multi-component matrix can undergo an altered pyrolysis mechanism, which results in a higher carbon yield and better mechanical properties. Carbonization was done both in a stationary and continuous manner and the resulting properties were assessed.

Carbon fibers made from multi-biopolymer precursor fibers spun from ionic liquid solution

2019 Spring National Meeting

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