Continuous, pilot-scale production of carbon fiber from a textile grade PAN polymer

Presented here is an investigation into the successful wet spinning and carbonization of a low-cost textile grade (TG-PAN) polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer blended with more traditional carbon fiber (CF-PAN) precursor. Both were performed using continuous pilot scale facilities directly analogous to larger industrial processes which provide validation for further scale-up. The precursor fibers (TG-CF) showed consistently uniform cross-sections benchmark CF PAN exhibiting mechanical properties similar commercially available fiber. Despite TG-PAN only failing adequately stabilize, CF-PAN produced are high quality exhibit properties. corresponding TG-CF containing 70 wt% has tensile strength 2.2 GPa, modulus 210 GPa 1% elongation failure. Although less than fiber, affirm that this approach potential develop scalable suitable range important applications.