Carbon microfiber converted from the poly(butylene terephthalate)/lignin blending fiber

Abstract

Carbon micro/nanostructures have advantages in science, technology and application. This work introduced a simple process for producing carbon microfibers, CMF. Experimentally, the alkali lignin was blended with the poly(butylene terephthalate), PBT, to form the blending fiber by the melt spinning, then this blending fiber was thermally treated to convert into the CMF. Results shown that the carbonization temperature is of importance because it at 800 °C can’t form CMF and at 1000 °C can form CMF with average diameter within 100-300 nm and average length within 10-15 μm. Elemental analysis shown that the CMF has a carbon percent at about 92%. Infrared analysis indicated that this CMF was formed by carbonization caused breaking of the bonds between C–H groups and ring structure.