Environmental-friendly production of carbon fiber from isotropic hybrid pitches synthesized from waste biomass and polystyrene with ethylene bottom oil.

In this study, spinnable isotropic pitches (IPs) were produced by pyrolytic oils of biomass and polystyrene (PS) with ethylene bottom oil (EBO or pyrolysis fuel oil: PFO) through bromination/dehydrobromination reaction. To develop spinnable pitches, four different tars were produced and hybrid pitches were synthesized using different PFO blending ratios and bromine amounts. Results showed that PFO improves spinnability and pitch yield considerably. Furthermore, pitches with the same softening point (S.P.) were produced from different precursors and spinning, stabilization and carbonization were performed to produce general-performance carbon fiber (CF). In order to explain the structure-property relationship of the products, mechanical, morphological and chemical characterization were done by TOF-MS, elemental analysis, 13C-NMR and SEM-EDX. Thus, a comparison between the characteristics of CFs was made disregarding the S.P.s and more insight into the effect of EBO was gained. Mechanical properties of CFs found to be reasonable, considering typical tensile values of IP-based CFs. Image 1 • Isotropic hybrid pitches were prepared using biomass, PS and PFO for the first time. • Pitches were synthesized via thermal bromination/dehydrobromination reaction. • Effects of precursor, blending ratio and Br amount on pitch characteristics were assessed. • Spinnable hybrid pitches were converted to carbon fiber after stabilization and carbonization.. • Effects of precursor and pitch synthesis were revealed together with the structure-property relationship of CFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]