Poly(Methyl Vinyl Ketone) as a Potential Carbon Fiber Precursor

Given their increasing importance in a variety of applications, the preparation of carbon fibers with well-defined chemical structures and innocuous byproducts has garnered a growing interest over the past decade. We report the preparation of medium molecular weight poly(methyl vinyl ketone) (PMVK) as a potential carbon fiber precursor material which can easily undergo carbonization via the well-known, acid-catalyzed aldol condensation with water as a sole byproduct. Rheological studies further show that PMVK (MW ∼ 50 kg/mol) exhibits excellent physical and thermal properties for the spinning of single and multifilament fibers and easily produces carbon yields of 25% at temperatures as low as 250 °C. Analysis of the carbonized product also suggests a more defect-free structure than commercially available carbon fibers.