Fabrication of dealkalized-lignin/polyacrylonitrile based carbon fiber via dry-jet wet spinning process

Owing to the advantages of low-cost, lower carbon footprint, and renewable for lignin, dealkalized-lignin (DL) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) blend precursor fibers with varying compositions and coagulation conditions were prepared using dry-jet wet spinning technology. The high-quality DL/PAN based carbon fibers, free of macro-voids, were obtained through optimizing pre-oxidation and carbonization process, and their microstructures and properties were systematically evaluated. Notably, when DL content was 30 wt%, the tensile strength for precursor fiber and resulting carbon fiber reached maximum values of 460 MPa and 2201 MPa, respectively. Additionally, the electrical conductivity reached a maximum of 79,936 S · m −1 . Partially substituting petroleum-derived PAN with lignin might enhance the sustainability of carbon fiber production and broaden the lignin's application in high-value advanced material systems.