Carbon Fibers from Bitumen-Derived Asphaltenes: Strategies for Optimizing Melt Spinnability and Improving Mechanical Properties

摘要: The demand for low-cost carbon fibers with exceptional mechanical properties continues to grow across various industries. Bitumen-derived asphaltenes have emerged as a promising alternative to polyacrylonitrile (PAN), yet asphaltenes are a complex mixture of compounds, and the fundamental understanding of which asphaltenes are melt spinnable is not clearly understood. In this study, we utilized three distinct types of asphaltenes, each exhibiting notably distinct thermal softening temperatures (Ts) and aromaticity. The optimal melt processing conditions of asphaltenes were determined by dynamic rheology tests. Moreover, we introduced a novel strategy to facilitate the melt spinning of non-spinnable samples by preparing 100% asphaltene blends with a low Ts asphaltene at different weight fractions. By this means, we achieved continuous melt spinning of precursor fibers. After careful selection of the …