Boron(III)-Containing Composite Hydrated Cellulose Fibers As Precursors of Carbon Materials

Composite fibers containing boron(III) have been obtained based on solid solutions of cellulose in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide and orthoboric acid with their subsequent transformation into a viscous-flow state. The rheological behavior of cellulose solutions with different content of orthoboric acid and water studied under conditions of continuous and dynamic shear loading has confirmed the intermolecular interaction between the components. It has been shown that the mechanical characteristics of the composite fibers obtained from a 16% solution in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide are comparable to these for hydrated cellulose fibers. The process of transformation of the composite fibers of various compositions into carbon fiber has been investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Chemical, structural and morphological properties of composite hydrated cellulose fibers and carbon fibers obtained from them have been studied using FTIR-spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The influence of boron(III) compounds on the carbonization process and the formation of graphite-like structures in carbon fiber has been investigated by Raman-spectroscopy.