Rapid Fabrication of Renewable Carbon Fibres by Plasma Arc Discharge and Their Humidity Sensing Properties
Submicron-sized carbon fibres have been attracting research interest due to their outstanding mechanical and electrical properties. However, the non-renewable resources and their complex fabrication processes limit the scalability and pose difficulties for the utilisation of these materials. Here, w...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-03-01
|
| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/5/1911 |
| _version_ | 1797542046553079808 |
|---|---|
| author | Yi Chen Fang Fang Robert Abbel Meeta Patel Kate Parker |
| author_facet | Yi Chen Fang Fang Robert Abbel Meeta Patel Kate Parker |
| author_sort | Yi Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Submicron-sized carbon fibres have been attracting research interest due to their outstanding mechanical and electrical properties. However, the non-renewable resources and their complex fabrication processes limit the scalability and pose difficulties for the utilisation of these materials. Here, we investigate the use of plasma arc technology to convert renewable electrospun lignin fibres into a new kind of carbon fibre with a globular and porous microstructure. The influence of arc currents (up to 60 A) on the structural and morphological properties of as-prepared carbon fibres is discussed. Owing to the catalyst-free synthesis, high purity micro-structured carbon fibres with nanocrystalline graphitic domains are produced. Furthermore, the humidity sensing characteristics of the treated fibres at room temperature (23 °C) are demonstrated. Sensors produced from these carbon fibres exhibit good humidity response and repeatability in the range of 30% to 80% relative humidity (RH) and an excellent sensitivity (0.81/%RH) in the high RH regime (60–80%). These results demonstrate that the plasma arc technology has great potential for the development of sustainable, lignin-based carbon fibres for a broad range of application in electronics, sensors and energy storage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:24:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ef18c7d60ad475faf3f4aeee24b9dc4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:24:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ef18c7d60ad475faf3f4aeee24b9dc42023-11-21T09:45:37ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-03-01215191110.3390/s21051911Rapid Fabrication of Renewable Carbon Fibres by Plasma Arc Discharge and Their Humidity Sensing PropertiesYi Chen0Fang Fang1Robert Abbel2Meeta Patel3Kate Parker4Scion, 49 Sala Street, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New ZealandNational Isotope Centre, GNS Science, 30 Gracefield, Lower Hutt 5010, New ZealandScion, 49 Sala Street, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New ZealandScion, 49 Sala Street, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New ZealandScion, 49 Sala Street, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New ZealandSubmicron-sized carbon fibres have been attracting research interest due to their outstanding mechanical and electrical properties. However, the non-renewable resources and their complex fabrication processes limit the scalability and pose difficulties for the utilisation of these materials. Here, we investigate the use of plasma arc technology to convert renewable electrospun lignin fibres into a new kind of carbon fibre with a globular and porous microstructure. The influence of arc currents (up to 60 A) on the structural and morphological properties of as-prepared carbon fibres is discussed. Owing to the catalyst-free synthesis, high purity micro-structured carbon fibres with nanocrystalline graphitic domains are produced. Furthermore, the humidity sensing characteristics of the treated fibres at room temperature (23 °C) are demonstrated. Sensors produced from these carbon fibres exhibit good humidity response and repeatability in the range of 30% to 80% relative humidity (RH) and an excellent sensitivity (0.81/%RH) in the high RH regime (60–80%). These results demonstrate that the plasma arc technology has great potential for the development of sustainable, lignin-based carbon fibres for a broad range of application in electronics, sensors and energy storage.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/5/1911plasma arc dischargelignin fibresrenewable carbon fibresglobular structurehumidity sensing |
| spellingShingle | Yi Chen Fang Fang Robert Abbel Meeta Patel Kate Parker Rapid Fabrication of Renewable Carbon Fibres by Plasma Arc Discharge and Their Humidity Sensing Properties Sensors plasma arc discharge lignin fibres renewable carbon fibres globular structure humidity sensing |
| title | Rapid Fabrication of Renewable Carbon Fibres by Plasma Arc Discharge and Their Humidity Sensing Properties |
| title_full | Rapid Fabrication of Renewable Carbon Fibres by Plasma Arc Discharge and Their Humidity Sensing Properties |
| title_fullStr | Rapid Fabrication of Renewable Carbon Fibres by Plasma Arc Discharge and Their Humidity Sensing Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rapid Fabrication of Renewable Carbon Fibres by Plasma Arc Discharge and Their Humidity Sensing Properties |
| title_short | Rapid Fabrication of Renewable Carbon Fibres by Plasma Arc Discharge and Their Humidity Sensing Properties |
| title_sort | rapid fabrication of renewable carbon fibres by plasma arc discharge and their humidity sensing properties |
| topic | plasma arc discharge lignin fibres renewable carbon fibres globular structure humidity sensing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/5/1911 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yichen rapidfabricationofrenewablecarbonfibresbyplasmaarcdischargeandtheirhumiditysensingproperties AT fangfang rapidfabricationofrenewablecarbonfibresbyplasmaarcdischargeandtheirhumiditysensingproperties AT robertabbel rapidfabricationofrenewablecarbonfibresbyplasmaarcdischargeandtheirhumiditysensingproperties AT meetapatel rapidfabricationofrenewablecarbonfibresbyplasmaarcdischargeandtheirhumiditysensingproperties AT kateparker rapidfabricationofrenewablecarbonfibresbyplasmaarcdischargeandtheirhumiditysensingproperties |