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Title: System to continuously produce carbon fiber via microwave assisted plasma processing

Abstract

A system to continuously produce fully carbonized or graphitized carbon fibers using microwave-assisted plasma (MAP) processing comprises an elongated chamber in which a microwave plasma is excited in a selected gas atmosphere. Fiber is drawn continuously through the chamber, entering and exiting through openings designed to minimize in-leakage of air. There is a gradient of microwave power within the chamber with generally higher power near where the fiber exits and lower power near where the fiber enters. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), pitch, or any other suitable organic/polymeric precursor fibers can be used as a feedstock for the inventive system. Oxidized or partially oxidized PAN or pitch or other polymeric fiber precursors are run continuously through a MAP reactor in an inert, non-oxidizing atmosphere to heat the fibers, drive off the unwanted elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen, and produce carbon or graphite fibers faster than conventionally produced carbon fibers.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Knoxville, TN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1014925
Patent Number(s):
7824495
Application Number:
US Patent Application 11/270,065
Assignee:
UT-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B01 - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL B01J - CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY
D - TEXTILES D01 - NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES D01F - CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

White, Terry L, Paulauskas, Felix L, and Bigelow, Timothy S. System to continuously produce carbon fiber via microwave assisted plasma processing. United States: N. p., 2010. Web.
White, Terry L, Paulauskas, Felix L, & Bigelow, Timothy S. System to continuously produce carbon fiber via microwave assisted plasma processing. United States.
White, Terry L, Paulauskas, Felix L, and Bigelow, Timothy S. Tue . "System to continuously produce carbon fiber via microwave assisted plasma processing". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1014925.
@article{osti_1014925,
title = {System to continuously produce carbon fiber via microwave assisted plasma processing},
author = {White, Terry L and Paulauskas, Felix L and Bigelow, Timothy S},
abstractNote = {A system to continuously produce fully carbonized or graphitized carbon fibers using microwave-assisted plasma (MAP) processing comprises an elongated chamber in which a microwave plasma is excited in a selected gas atmosphere. Fiber is drawn continuously through the chamber, entering and exiting through openings designed to minimize in-leakage of air. There is a gradient of microwave power within the chamber with generally higher power near where the fiber exits and lower power near where the fiber enters. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), pitch, or any other suitable organic/polymeric precursor fibers can be used as a feedstock for the inventive system. Oxidized or partially oxidized PAN or pitch or other polymeric fiber precursors are run continuously through a MAP reactor in an inert, non-oxidizing atmosphere to heat the fibers, drive off the unwanted elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen, and produce carbon or graphite fibers faster than conventionally produced carbon fibers.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Tue Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Carbon Fibers
book, April 2001