High-Modulus Low-Cost Carbon Fibers from Polyethylene Enabled by Boron Catalyzed Graphitization

Bryan E. Barton; Michael J. Behr; Jasson T. Patton; Eric J. Hukkanen; Brian G. Landes; Weijun Wang; Nicholas Horstman; James E. Rix; Denis Keane; Steven Weigand; Mark Spalding; Chris Derstine

doi:10.1002/smll.201701926

High-Modulus Low-Cost Carbon Fibers from Polyethylene Enabled by Boron Catalyzed Graphitization

Bryan E. Barton^*, Michael J. Behr, Jasson T. Patton, Eric J. Hukkanen, Brian G. Landes, Weijun Wang, Nicholas Horstman, James E. Rix, Denis Keane, Steven Weigand, Mark Spalding, Chris Derstine

^*Corresponding author for this work

NRSC - Northwestern Synchrotron Research Center - DND CAT

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Currently, carbon fibers (CFs) from the solution spinning, air oxidation, and carbonization of polyacrylonitrile impose a lower price limit of ≈$10 per lb, limiting the growth in industrial and automotive markets. Polyethylene is a promising precursor to enable a high-volume industrial grade CF as it is low cost, melt spinnable and has high carbon content. However, sulfonated polyethylene (SPE)-derived CFs have thus far fallen short of the 200 GPa tensile modulus threshold for industrial applicability. Here, a graphitization process is presented catalyzed by the addition of boron that produces carbon fiber with >400 GPa tensile modulus at 2400 °C. Wide angle X-ray diffraction collected during carbonization reveals that the presence of boron reduces the onset of graphitization by nearly 400 °C, beginning around 1200 °C. The B-doped SPE-CFs herein attain 200 GPa tensile modulus and 2.4 GPa tensile strength at the practical carbonization temperature of 1800 °C.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	1701926
Journal	Small
Volume	13
Issue number	36
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201701926
State	Published - Sep 27 2017

Keywords

boron catalysis
carbon fibers
graphitization
sulfonation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biotechnology
Biomaterials
Chemistry(all)
Materials Science(all)

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Barton, B. E., Behr, M. J., Patton, J. T., Hukkanen, E. J., Landes, B. G., Wang, W., Horstman, N., Rix, J. E., Keane, D., Weigand, S., Spalding, M., & Derstine, C. (2017). High-Modulus Low-Cost Carbon Fibers from Polyethylene Enabled by Boron Catalyzed Graphitization. Small, 13(36), [1701926]. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201701926

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abstract = "Currently, carbon fibers (CFs) from the solution spinning, air oxidation, and carbonization of polyacrylonitrile impose a lower price limit of ≈$10 per lb, limiting the growth in industrial and automotive markets. Polyethylene is a promising precursor to enable a high-volume industrial grade CF as it is low cost, melt spinnable and has high carbon content. However, sulfonated polyethylene (SPE)-derived CFs have thus far fallen short of the 200 GPa tensile modulus threshold for industrial applicability. Here, a graphitization process is presented catalyzed by the addition of boron that produces carbon fiber with >400 GPa tensile modulus at 2400 °C. Wide angle X-ray diffraction collected during carbonization reveals that the presence of boron reduces the onset of graphitization by nearly 400 °C, beginning around 1200 °C. The B-doped SPE-CFs herein attain 200 GPa tensile modulus and 2.4 GPa tensile strength at the practical carbonization temperature of 1800 °C.",

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High-Modulus Low-Cost Carbon Fibers from Polyethylene Enabled by Boron Catalyzed Graphitization. / Barton, Bryan E.; Behr, Michael J.; Patton, Jasson T.; Hukkanen, Eric J.; Landes, Brian G.; Wang, Weijun; Horstman, Nicholas; Rix, James E.; Keane, Denis; Weigand, Steven; Spalding, Mark; Derstine, Chris.

In: Small, Vol. 13, No. 36, 1701926, 27.09.2017.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

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AU - Barton, Bryan E.

AU - Behr, Michael J.

AU - Patton, Jasson T.

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AU - Landes, Brian G.

AU - Wang, Weijun

AU - Horstman, Nicholas

AU - Rix, James E.

AU - Keane, Denis

AU - Weigand, Steven

AU - Spalding, Mark

AU - Derstine, Chris

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