Structural carbon fibre from kraft lignin

• The GreenLight consortium is working to demonstrate a biobased, renewable and economically viable carbon fibre from lignin. The aim is to provide a basis for commercial production of lignin, lignin filaments, carbon fibre and carbon fibre composites. The most difficult boundary to success in the developing lignin as a precursor for continuous filament carbon fibre has been identified as melt extrusion of lignin. The consortium is working to develop a robust melt spinning platform for use up to the 1,000 filament scale. Methodical studies have been performed to examine lignin separation from differing black liquors derived from both softwood and hardwood and assess their viability in terms of thermal, compositional and structural properties. The move will then be made to pilot scale melt spinning at the 100 filament scale. The characteristics of some kraft lignin fractions obtained from the same Sodra Monsteras softwood kraft black liquor have been studied. The lignins were manufactured in quantities of approximately 10-20kg. Several variations of the LignoBoost process were used to provide lignins with improved melt spinning properties. The lignins were of high purity, each having low carbohydrate, extractives and inorganic contents. All four lignins could be melt spun and converted to carbon fibre.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Pappers-, massa- och fiberteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Paper, Pulp and Fiber Technology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

black liquor

carbon fibre

kraft lignin

lignin removal process

melt spinning

research programme

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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