The production of lignin-phenol-formaldehyde resin derived carbon fibers stabilized by BN preceramic polymer

Lignin-phenol-formaldehyde resin (LPF) derived submicron carbon fibers were successfully prepared by using LPF which was synthesized by using lignin as partial substitution of phenol in phenolformaldehyde resin as precursor. The carbon fibers were obtained through electrospinning the LPF/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/dimethylformamide (DMF) solution followed by successive stabilization with BN preceramic polymer and carbonization processes. The chemical structure of LPF resin was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the morphology properties of carbon fibers were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that stabilized by immerging in BN precursor solution and then stabilized at 250 degrees C in the air, the morphology generated during the electrospinning processing was successfully retained throughout the stabilization and carbonization processes. LPF derived carbon fibers exhibited homogeneous diameter distribution and smooth surface. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.