A process for producing carbon fibers and carbon fibers made therefrom

A process for producing carbon fibers, the process comprising:

• a) preparing a polymer solution or a molten polymer;
• b) spinning the polymer solution or the molten polymer prepared in step (a);
• thereby forming carbon fiber precursor fibers;
• c) drawing the carbon fiber precursor fibers through one or more draw and wash baths, resulting in drawn carbon fiber precursor fibers that are substantially free of solvent;
• and
• d) oxidizing the drawn carbon fiber precursor fibers of step c) to form stabilized carbon fiber precursor fibers and then carbonizing the stabilized carbon fiber precursor fiber, thereby producing carbon fibers;
• wherein at least one salt of an organic cation containing a C═N imine group is present in at least one of the steps a) to c).