Pilot scale production of nanomants of poly(acrylonitrile-g-lignin) via electrospinning, aiming future applications in carbonaceous materials

Abstract

The development of new materials from renewable sources has grown and is creating a trend in the high-technology materials with highlight for the nanomaterials that exhibit specific properties for special applications, low production cost and reduced impact on the environment. The production of precursor nanomats from renewable sources to produce carbonaceous materials has grown in relation to the products obtained from the traditionally raw materials employed for this purpose. In this context, the production of nanomats in pilot scale electrospinning is required to produce carbon nanomats in escalated process to future applications in composite materials and high-performance batteries. The goal of this project is to produce nanomats of modified kraft lignin (KL) and poly (acrylonitrile-g-lignin) (PAN-g-KL) by solution electrospinning in pilot scale. The electrospinning of KL will be done after chemical modification aiming to increase the molecular weight to help in the production of precursor nanomats. Different concentrations of KL will be employed in pilot scale of the copolymers of (PAN-g-KL). The KL and the copolymers of PAN-g-KL will be analyzed in relation to molar weight, molar weight distribution, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (RMN-1H), surface tension, chemical structure by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermal transitions by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). This research project will be developed in partnership with the Centro de Bionanofatura do IPT and with the polymer group of the ICT-UNIFESP, aiming the escalating of the electrospinning process to produce nanomats of LK e PAN-g-KL. (AU)