Polyethylene-based carbon fibre with < 3 μm filament diameter

Flávio André Marter Diniz, a graduate of the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA), has developed an ultra-thin polyethylene (PE) carbon fibre with a filament diameter 2-3 times smaller than usual.

Flávio André Marter Diniz produced novel ultra-thin polyethylene-based carbon fibres with a filament diameter < 3 μm with an excellent surface quality of the fibres without detectable structural defects. The fibre diameter is 2-3 times smaller than that of conventional PAN-based CF.

“In addition, the use of PE-based precursors will make it possible to reduce the price of carbon fibres by 50 percent in the future, thus opening up a wide range of other possible applications in key industries such as wind power, aerospace and auto-motive,” ITA said in a press release

This provides the basis for mechanically high-quality material properties. At the same time, Flávio André Marter Diniz was able to reduce the sulphonisation time by 25 percent. The developed material and technology set important milestones on the way to cheaper carbon fibres. With PE-based precursors, the price of CF can be reduced by 50 percent compared to conventional PAN-based CF.

The use of carbon fibres in highly stressed lightweight construction solutions, such as today’s growth applications of wind turbines or pressure tanks, has become indispensable due to their excellent mechanical properties and low density.

High manufacturing costs of conventional PAN precursor-based carbon fibres make the material very cost-intensive. In addition, it is not sufficiently available. New manufacturing approaches that develop alternative raw materials and manufacturing processes can be a key and growth engine for further industrial composites applications.

The aim of the work was to develop a new and cost-effective manufacturing process for high-quality ultra-thin carbon fibres using a polyethylene precursor. For this purpose, the sulphonisation process, which is time-consuming today, was to be significantly shortened.

For this groundbreaking development, Flávio André Marter Diniz was awarded the Hanns Voith Prize by Professor Dr Mult. Sigmar Wittig of Hanns Voith Foundation in the category ‘New Materials’, which is endowed with €5,000 in prize money.