# US 2013/0157052 A1 · Continuous, hollow polymer precursors and carbon fibers produced therefrom

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- Number: US 2013/0157052 A1
- Document ID: US20130157052A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/682,429
- Filed: 2012-11-20
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2009-01-05
- Assignees: Hills, Inc.; The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Thomas K. Tsotsis; Jeff Haggard
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157052A1

## CPC

- B29C 70/10: characterised by the structure of fibrous reinforcements {, e.g. hollow fibres}
- D02G 3/22: Yarns or threads characterised by constructional features {, e.g. blending, filament/fibre (piecing of yarns or threads D01H15/00)}
- C08J 5/243: {using carbon fibres}
- D01D 5/24: with a hollow structure; Spinnerette packs therefor (D01D5/38 takes precedence; producing tubes of plastic material B29D; addition of agents forming hollow filaments D01F1/08)
- D01D 5/36: Matrix structure; Spinnerette packs therefor
- D01F 9/14: by decomposition of organic filaments
- D02G 3/02: Yarns or threads characterised by the material or by the materials from which they are made
- Y10T 428/13: Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
- Y10T 428/24149: Honeycomb-like
- Y10T 428/2918: including free carbon or carbide or therewith [not as steel]
- Y10T 428/2929: Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type]
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- D02G: CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
- D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a continuous, multicellular, hollow carbon fiber wherein the fiber structure includes a substantially hollow fiber and multiple internal walls defining multiple integral internal hollow fibers such that the fiber structure comprises a honeycomb-like cross section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A continuous, multicellular, hollow carbon fiber comprising carbon wherein the fiber structure comprises a substantially hollow fiber comprising an outer wall having an outside diameter and multiple internal walls defining multiple integral internal hollow fibers such that the fiber structure comprises a honeycomb-like cross section wherein the outer wall comprises a thickness ranging from about 100 to about 900 nanometers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The continuous, multicellular, hollow carbon fiber according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall comprises a thickness ranging from about 10 to about 500 nanometers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The continuous, multicellular, hollow carbon fiber according to claim 1, wherein the internal walls comprise a thickness ranging from about 10 to about 500 nanometers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The continuous, multicellular, hollow carbon fiber according to claim 1, wherein an outside diameter of the fiber structure comprises from about 1 micron to about 50 microns.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The continuous, multicellular, hollow carbon fiber according to claim 4, wherein the outside diameter of the fiber structure comprises from about 1 micron to about 10 microns.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The continuous, multicellular, hollow carbon fiber according to claim 1, wherein each integral internal hollow fiber comprises an internal diameter ranging from about 10 to about 5000 nanometers.

### Claim 7

A polymer precursor comprising:
a first polymer component comprising a melt-spinnable polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), pitch, polyphenylene sulfide and combinations thereof and
a second polymer component comprising a fugitive polymer which is dissociable from the first polymer wherein the precursor comprises an islands-in-the-sea configuration such that the second polymer component comprises a plurality of islands and the first polymer component comprises the sea.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A polymer precursor according to claim 7 wherein the first polymer component comprises melt-spinnable polyacrylonitrile (PAN).

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A polymer precursor according to claim 8 wherein the weight ratio of the PAN to the fugitive polymer ranges from about 5/95 to about 95/5.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

A polymer precursor according to claim 7 wherein the fugitive polymer comprises a water-soluble polymer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

A polymer precursor according to claim 7 wherein the fugitive polymer comprises an organic-solvent-extractable polymer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

A polymer precursor according to claim 7 wherein the fugitive polymer comprises polylactic acid.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

A polymer precursor according to claim 7 wherein the first polymer component comprises melt-spinnable polyphenylene, sulfide.

### Claim at position 14

14-20. (canceled)