Scale Up of Novel, Low-Cost Carbon Fibers Leading to High-Volume Commercial Launch The Process for Converting Polyolefin to Carbon Fiber.Graphic credit Dow Chemical. Demonstrating a Revolutionary Process for Manufacturing Carbon requires two kilograms of high-cost PAN energy security: automobiles and wind Fiber Based on a Novel Polymer Fiber resin to produce one kilogram of CF. This energy. PO-based CF may help enable Precursor. project was expected to demonstrate a widespread CF composites adoption in In order to advance the clean energy revolutionary technology for producing the mainstream U.S. automotive market economy, the United States must find new low-cost CFs based on a novel polyolefin and can help meet the new Corporate ways to conserve energy. One approach (PO) precursor and proprietary process Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) is to develop low-cost, alternative technology at laboratory and pilot-scales. standards. In addition, heavy trucks are composites and structural materials for These new PO precursors produce a also a potential market for PO-based CFs. end-use products that are lightweight yet higher yield of CF (65%–80%), when Low-cost CF is also an enabling material still provide the required strength, stiff- compared to PAN precursor fibers (50% for modern, grid-scale wind turbines due ness, and corrosion resistance. Currently, yield), and at a lower cost. to its light weight and attractive tensile continuous filament glass fiber is the properties. While the wind energy market most common and least expensive fiber Benefits for Our Industry currently uses PAN-based CFs, the lack used in strengthening polymers to form and Our Nation of a stable CF supply and high pricing inhibits their use. composite materials. However, carbon PO-based CF production offers fiber (CF)-based composites provide significant energy and environmental higher modulus and strength as well as benefits, including: Project Description decreased density and weight. The primary objective was to scale up • Lowering the cost of CF production by the technology to market development High quality carbon fibers are essential 20%; scale (1,000-fold above the anticipated to addressing the needs of the automotive pilot scale throughput). The goal of this industry as well as emerging industries, • Doubling the energy productivity of CF scale-up was to produce low cost CF such as wind turbine manufacturing. manufacturing; from novel PO polymer precursors in Customers in these industrial markets use higher yield and at lower cost than the CFs for necessary performance benefits • Reducing CO2 emissions per unit of CF incumbent CF made from specialty- but have not explored the full range of output by more than 50%; and grade PAN fiber. This project intended possibilities due to high manufacturing • Creating domestic manufacturing jobs. to demonstrate innovative breakthroughs costs. that deliver both rate and quality in the Currently, conventional CF precursors are Applications in Our manufacturing of PO-based CF. specialty grade, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)- Nation’s Industry based. The multi-operation process to This project focused on technology manufacture PAN-CFs involves handling deployment in two potentially significant and recovering hazardous solvents and markets with major impact on U.S.
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING OFFICE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING OFFICE
Barriers • Complete construction of market scale Project Partners sulfonation–desulfonation plant rated at • PO-based CFs have not been validated The Dow Chemical Company 4 kg/hr (Unmet). beyond laboratory scale and PO Midland, MI precursors have not been used for the • Demonstrate pre-market scale Principal Investigator: Mark Spalding commercial production of CF. operation at the Oak Ridge Carbon E-mail: [email protected] Fiber Technology Facility by producing • Scaling of the technology poses a Ford Motor Company 800 kg of CF at 4 kg/hr that meets significant challenge that will require Dearborn, MI disciplined innovation. the DOE Vehicle Technology Office quality requirements of 172 GPa Oak Ridge National Laboratory • High-volume production of advanced modulus (25 Msi) and 1.72 GPa (250 Oak Ridge, TN CF-composite vehicle components will ksi) strength at greater than or equal to require new fabrication and joining 1% strain (Unmet). For additional information, technologies and parts production please contact capacity. Commercialization Steve Sikirica Pathways In June 2013 at a Go/No-Go milestone Technology Manager review meeting, a decision was made to Researchers were to conduct CF U.S. Department of Energy halt and abandon the Dow proprietary processing studies and fabricate and Advanced Manufacturing Office sulfonation-desulfonation process for characterize CF resin composites to Phone: (202) 586-5041 stabilizing PO precursor fibers for the demonstrate that the new, low-cost CF Email: [email protected] manufacturing of CF. The decision is promising for use as composite parts was based on the higher than expected in motor vehicles. Scale-up was to be levelized economic cost of the process. performed using the following three-step The capital required to sulfonate the process: fibers adds a significant cost to the 1. Synthesis of a PO copolymer precursor process due to the need for investment fiber with a specially designed in a sulfuric acid recovery plant. The molecular structure; sulfonation-desulfonation stabilization route failed to meet Dow’s return 2. Chemical conversion of the polymer to on investment criterion and the cost a proprietary stabilized precursor fiber advantage target set forth for the DOE in high yield; and project.
3. Carbonization to form the CF. A decision was made to halt spending on the project until a new PO fiber If necessary, CF post-treatment stabilization process could be identified technologies would have been researched that met the DOE physical properties and developed to ensure that the CF standard and the targeted levelized functions effectively in composites. economic cost constraints. Dow’s Milestones subsequent independent R&D did not demonstrate a commercially-viable This project began in 2012 but was process for production of low cost CF officially terminated in 2014. from PO precursors. A decision was made • Demonstrate production of carbon fiber to terminate the project. The final project (50 grams) from polyolefin precursor report can be found at http://www.osti. material at pilot scale production rate gov/scitech/biblio/1150721. of grams/hr (Met).
For more information, visit: manufacturing.energy.gov
DOE/EE-0882 • Updated March 2015