Method for the preparation of carbon fiber from polyolefin fiber precursor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828700-B2
Application number	US-201514672318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

Methods for the preparation of carbon fiber from polyolefin fiber precursor, wherein the polyolefin fiber precursor is partially sulfonated and then carbonized to produce carbon fiber. Methods for producing hollow carbon fibers, wherein the hollow core is circular- or complex-shaped, are also described. Methods for producing carbon fibers possessing a circular- or complex-shaped outer surface, which may be solid or hollow, are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for the preparation of carbon fiber from polyolefin fiber precursor, the method comprising partially sulfonating said polyolefin fiber precursor to produce a partially sulfonated polyolefin fiber, and subjecting said partially sulfonated polyolefin fiber to carbonization conditions to produce said carbon fiber.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polyolefin fiber precursor is partially sulfonated at a temperature of at least 30° C. and up to 180° C. for a time up to 1 hour.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polyolefin fiber precursor is partially sulfonated at a temperature of at least 50° C. and up to 160° C. for a time up to 1 hour.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polyolefin fiber precursor is partially sulfonated at a temperature of at least 70° C. and up to 120° C. for a time less than 1 hour.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said partial sulfonation is accomplished by submerging said polyolefin fiber precursor in oleum-containing sulfuric acid for a time less than the time required for complete sulfonation of said polyolefin fiber precursor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polyolefin is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising producing said polyolefin fiber precursor by a melt-spinning process.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising producing said polyolefin fiber precursor by a solution-spinning process.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Naskar Amit Kumar
• Hunt Marcus Andrew
• Saito Tomonori

Classifications

• D01F9/21 Primary

  from macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds · CPC title

• Y10T428/2918

  including free carbon or carbide or therewith [not as steel] · CPC title

• D01F9/10

  by decomposition of organic substances (D01F9/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06M2101/20

  Polyalkenes, polymers or copolymers of compounds with alkenyl groups bonded to aromatic groups · CPC title

• D06M13/256

  Sulfonated compounds {esters thereof, e.g. sultones} · CPC title