This Review gives an overview of precursor systems, their processing, and the final precursor-dependent structure of carbon fibers (CFs) including new developments in precursor systems for low-cost CFs. The following CF precursor systems are discussed: poly(acrylonitrile)-based copolymers, pitch, cellulose, lignin, poly(ethylene), and new synthetic polymeric precursors for high-end CFs. In addition, structure-property relationships and the different models for describing both the structure and morphology of CFs will be presented.
Keywords: carbon fibers; cellulose; lignin; pitch; poly(acrylonitrile).
© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.