Abstract
Carbon fibers are finding a wide variety of applications in the industrial sector, which encompasses the high-tech aerospace and defense areas, increasingly, the shipping, sporting, and medical fields as well. One of the major shortcomings that limit the potential widespread use of carbon fibers in commercial applications is their prohibitive cost, in comparison with other structural materials like glass fibers and steel. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer degrades before melting and thus melt spinning is not preferred. Current carbon fiber productions from acrylic fibers employ wet or dry spun PAN-based precursors that require expensive solvents and costly solvent recovery methods causing environmental pollution. Melting point of PAN can be reduced by disturbing intra and inter chain interaction between nitrile groups. This can be achieved by incorporating suitable comonomers or by using plasticizers like water or organic solvents. Thus melt spinning becomes feasible and production cost can be minimized and it will be possible to produce low-cost carbon fiber precursors. Melt spun PAN will be suitable for other applications like nonwovens, membranes, outdoor fabrics, and filters.
Keywords: environmental pollution, low cost, melt spinning, polyacrylonitrile, wet or dry spinning
The authors of the article are associated with Wool Research Association, Thane
The authors of thearticle are associated with Wool Research Association, Thane.
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