Valorization of lignin through an Understanding of the Structure and Properties of Lignin-based Carbon Nanofibres

通过了解木质素基碳纳米纤维的结构和性能来实现木质素的价值

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04150
• 负责人: Ko, Frank
• 金额: $ 1.75万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=638144
• 关键词: Valorization; lignin; through; Understanding; Structure

Lignin, the second most abundant biopolymer on earth, has the potential to serve as a low cost and renewable enabling material for a wide variety of value added applications. Of the numerous lignin applications under investigation, lignin-based carbon fibre (micron level LCFs) is one of the most promising products. Lignin has been under investigation for its potential as a carbon fibre (CF) precursor since the 1960's. Since that time a variety of systems have been reported utilizing dry, wet, or melt spinning of different types of lignin and lignin/polymer blends, such as lignin/polyacrylonitrile (PAN). Depending on the species (softwood, hardwood or annual fibre), method of isolation (Kraft, sulphite, soda or other biorefinery process), and fibre processing technology (wet/dry/melt spinning, oxidation, stabilization, carbonization, etc.) various lignin-based precursors and CFs have been produced. However these micron level fibres fail to meet the performance/cost requirements for automotive structural applications. By combining the advantages of nanofibres and lignin it is believed that a new class of low cost hybrid carbon fibre and fibrous assemblies can be developed for structural applications such as automobiles composites and functional applications such as electromagnetic shields. In this program we propose to study the feasibility of producing carbon nanofibre (CNF) from lignin, lignin/polymer blends, and their lignin/nanoparticle reinforcements by the electrospinning process. The morphological, mechanical, electrical, and electromagnetic properties of the lignin-based carbon nanofibres (LCNFs) will be characterized and their potential for various applications will be assessed. The outcome of this program will demonstrate the potential of lignin-based composite CNFs as a unique engineering material, and as a result, it will establish a pathway for adding value to the abundantly available natural polymer, lignin.

木质素是地球上第二丰富的生物聚合物，有潜力作为一种低成本、可再生的支持材料，用于各种增值应用。在众多正在研究的木质素应用中，木质素基碳纤维（微米级LCF）是最有前途的产品之一。自 20 世纪 60 年代以来，人们一直在研究木质素作为碳纤维 (CF) 前体的潜力。从那时起，已经报道了利用不同类型的木质素和木质素/聚合物共混物（例如木质素/聚丙烯腈（PAN））的干法、湿法或熔融纺丝的各种系统。根据树种（软木、硬木或一年生纤维）、分离方法（牛皮纸、亚硫酸盐、苏打或其他生物精炼工艺）和纤维加工技术（湿法/干法/熔融纺丝、氧化、稳定化、碳化等），已经生产出基于木质素的前体和 CF。然而，这些微米级纤维无法满足汽车结构应用的性能/成本要求。通过结合纳米纤维和木质素的优点，相信可以开发出一种新型低成本混合碳纤维和纤维组件，用于汽车复合材料等结构应用和电磁屏蔽等功能应用。在该计划中，我们建议研究通过静电纺丝工艺从木质素、木质素/聚合物共混物及其木质素/纳米颗粒增强材料生产碳纳米纤维（CNF）的可行性。将表征木质素基碳纳米纤维（LCNF）的形态、机械、电气和电磁特性，并评估其各种应用的潜力。该计划的成果将展示木质素基复合 CNF 作为独特工程材料的潜力，因此，它将建立一条为丰富的天然聚合物木质素增加价值的途径。