Low Energy Carbonization of PAN Fibers

Carbon fiber production from polyacrylonitrile PAN) feedstock remains an energy-intensive and expensive process, despite tremendous progress during the preceding decades. The process involved multiple high-temperature processing steps and moderately high feedstock costs. TDA proposes to development methods that will lower both the carbon fiber cost and the energy required for their manufacture by increasing the yield of the process. Current yields are only ca. 60% carbon basis), and improvements in that figure will result in less energy consumption per unit of carbon fiber product. The cost of the carbon fibers will also be reduced, since the majority of the cost is from the feedstock. In Phase I, we will explore methods to increase the yield of carbon fibers from oxidatively stabilized and commercially available PAN fibers. TDA will be developing chemical treatment methods using reagents with very low cost and energy intensities to modify the composition of the stabilized PAN fibers. After modification, the fibers will be carbonized according to the current thermal processing schedules. The mechanical properties in tension of the carbon fiber products will be characterized according to standard test techniques to ensure that we have not degraded fiber properties through the extra processing. The technology will be immediately useful to lower the cost of carbon fiber production. Due to their exceedingly high specific strength and modulus, carbon fibers are already entering designs for wind turbines. Further reductions in cost could lead to applications in lightweight automobile structures, which would greatly improve the fuel economy of passenger vehicles.