Stabilisation of PAN-based fibres in oxidative atmospheric pressure plasma - characterisation of DBD and identification of relevant plasma species and their influence on reaction kinetics

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gries; Dr. Guido Link; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Viöl
• Subject Area: Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 518273628

Thermal stabilization of the precursor is the first production step in the manufacture of carbon fibres from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers and the most time-consuming and energy-consuming. Research into the stabilization of PAN fibers has already produced many application-oriented results: for example, Lee et. al were already able to show in 2013 that the duration of the stabilization process is shortened by approx. 50 % through the influence of reactive plasma species, and is thus more energy- and cost-efficient compared to conventional thermal treatment. However, basic knowledge about the course of the reaction inside the fiber is only available to a very limited extent so far and cannot yet describe the exact time sequence of the partial reactions. Understanding the reaction kinetics of stabilization reactions under plasma atmosphere is therefore the subject of this research project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants