Discovering Biomass Structural Determinants Defining the Properties of Plant-Derived Renewable Carbon Fiber

Li, Qiang; Hu, Cheng; Li, Mengjie; Truong, Phuc; Naik, Mandar T.; Prabhu, Dwarkanath; Hoffmann, Jr., Leo; Rooney, William L.; Yuan, Joshua S.

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2020.101405

Title: Discovering Biomass Structural Determinants Defining the Properties of Plant-Derived Renewable Carbon Fiber

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · iScience

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2020.101405· OSTI ID:1646548

Li, Qiang; Hu, Cheng; Li, Mengjie; Truong, Phuc; Naik, Mandar T.; Prabhu, Dwarkanath; Hoffmann, Jr., Leo; Rooney, William L.; Yuan, Joshua S.

Traditional lignocellulosic feedstock research has focused on biomass characteristics essential for improving saccharification efficiency, yet the key biomass features underlying high-quality renewable lignin materials remain unknown. Nevertheless, modern biorefinery cannot achieve sustainability and cost-effectiveness unless the lignin stream can be valorized. We hereby addressed these scientific gaps by investigating biomass characteristics defining lignin-based carbon materials properties. Lignin from eight sorghum samples with diverse characteristics was fabricated into carbon fibers (CFs). Remarkably, only lignin uniformity was found to define CF mechanical performance, highlighting the new structureproperty relationship. Contrarily, lignin content and composition did not impact on carbon material properties. Mechanistic study by XRD and Raman spectroscopy revealed that higher lignin uniformity enhanced CF microstructures, in particular, turbostratic carbon content. The study for the first time highlighted lignin uniformity as an important biomass structure determinant for renewable products, which opened up new avenues for feedstock design toward diverse products enabling sustainable and cost-effective bioeconomy.

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Research Organization:: Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Texas A & M AgriLife Research

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0006112; EE0007104; EE0008250

OSTI ID:: 1646548

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1799195

Journal Information:: iScience, Journal Name: iScience Vol. 23 Journal Issue: 8; ISSN 2589-0042

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Netherlands

Language:: English

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