Lignin-based carbon fibres: Effect of bio-polyamide on oxidative thermal stabilisation of lignin

Abstract

Carbon fibres have been produced from hydroxypropyl-modified lignin (TcC)/bio-based polyamide 1010 (PA1010) blended filaments. Two grades of PA1010, with different molecular weights and rheological properties, were used for blending with TcC. An oxidative thermal stabilisation step was used prior to carbonisation in an inert atmosphere to prevent the fusion of the filaments during the latter step. Thermal stabilisation was not possible using a one-step stabilisation process reported in the literature for lignin and other lignin/synthetic polymer blends. As a consequence, a cyclic process involving an additional isothermal phase at a lower temperature than the precursor filaments’ melting point, was introduced to increase the cross-linking reactions between the lignin and polyamide. Thermally stabilised filaments were characterised by DSC, TGA, TGA-FTIR, ATR, and SEM techniques. Polymer rheology and heating rate used during thermal stabilisation influenced the thermal stabilisation process and mechanical properties of the derived filaments. Thermally stabilised filaments using optimised conditions (heating in the air atmosphere at 0.25°C/min to 180°C; isothermal for 1h, cooling back down to ambient at 5°C/min; heating to 250°C at 0.25°C/min, isothermal for 2 h) could be successfully carbonised. Carbon fibres produced had void-free morphologies and mechanical properties comparable to similarly thermally stabilised and carbonised polyacrylonitrile (PAN) filaments.