Optimizing of stabilization and carbonization processes for sustainable lignin-derived carbon fiber production
Topic(s) : Material science
Co-authors :
Silvia ZECCHI (ITALY), Stavros ANAGNOU (GREECE), Costas CHARITIDIS , Alberto TAGLIAFERRO (ITALY)Abstract :
Carbon fibers, renowned for their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and versatile applications, have long been an integral component of advanced materials in various industries. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in exploring sustainable and cost-effective sources for carbon fiber production. Carbon fibers derived from lignin offer a pathway for sustainable and cost-effective manufacturing, leveraging the surplus of lignin derived from the paper and pulp industry [1]. The utilization of lignin as a precursor for carbon provides an eco-friendly alternative to traditional petroleum-based precursors [2]. This research contributes to the efficient utilization of industrial waste streams and aligns with the principles of a circular economy.
This work is about the critical importance of optimizing the stabilization and carbonization processes in a semi-industrial continuous line, emphasizing their impact on the mechanical properties of the resulting carbon fibers. The breakthrough from laboratory-scale experiments to a semi-industrial setting represents a crucial step in connecting academic research with scalable and economically feasible production. The success of lignin-derived carbon fibers production lays behind a thorough optimization of the stabilization process parameters [3], an essential step in preventing fiber oxidation and ensuring the desired mechanical properties. This research investigates the challenges of the stabilization process, emphasizing its importance in the overall manufacturing workflow.
The study was performed in batches, imitating a semi-continuous production line and optimizing three specific processes: stabilization alone, carbonization alone, and a combined stabilization and carbonization. Initial mechanical tests and SEM analysis setting a baseline for untreated samples. Mechanical tests are employed to assess the tensile strength and modulus offering a comprehensive understanding of the material's structural integrity and performance. Subsequently, different sets of samples underwent exclusive stabilization at different temperatures or carbonization with a refined temperature profile. After each process, tensile tests and SEM analysis provided insights into material responses. For a third group, both stabilization and carbonization were performed with careful temperature profile optimization, followed again by a mechanical tests and SEM analysis. In addition to these process-specific assessments, further thermal and structural characterizations provide valuable insights into the structural transformations occurring during each process.
This work is about the critical importance of optimizing the stabilization and carbonization processes in a semi-industrial continuous line, emphasizing their impact on the mechanical properties of the resulting carbon fibers. The breakthrough from laboratory-scale experiments to a semi-industrial setting represents a crucial step in connecting academic research with scalable and economically feasible production. The success of lignin-derived carbon fibers production lays behind a thorough optimization of the stabilization process parameters [3], an essential step in preventing fiber oxidation and ensuring the desired mechanical properties. This research investigates the challenges of the stabilization process, emphasizing its importance in the overall manufacturing workflow.
The study was performed in batches, imitating a semi-continuous production line and optimizing three specific processes: stabilization alone, carbonization alone, and a combined stabilization and carbonization. Initial mechanical tests and SEM analysis setting a baseline for untreated samples. Mechanical tests are employed to assess the tensile strength and modulus offering a comprehensive understanding of the material's structural integrity and performance. Subsequently, different sets of samples underwent exclusive stabilization at different temperatures or carbonization with a refined temperature profile. After each process, tensile tests and SEM analysis provided insights into material responses. For a third group, both stabilization and carbonization were performed with careful temperature profile optimization, followed again by a mechanical tests and SEM analysis. In addition to these process-specific assessments, further thermal and structural characterizations provide valuable insights into the structural transformations occurring during each process.