Table 1.

Comparison of the different CF precursors and the properties of the final CFs.

Carbon Fiber Precursor	Carbon Content (%)	Degree of Crystallinity (%)	Tensile Strength of CFs (GPa)	Modulus of CFs (GPa)	Refs
PAN	67.81	35–50	3–7	100–500	[40,41]
Pitch	81.7	-	1–3	200–800	[40,41]
Rayon	62.1	30–40	0.5–1.2	40–100	[42]
Polyethylene (PE)	85.7	55–65	2.5	139	[12]
Polybenzoxazole (PBO)	70.6	55–58	1	245	[12]
Various types of lignin	60–65	-	0.15–0.8	N/A	[4]
Steam-exploded hardwood lignin	-	-	0.66 ± 0.23	40.7 ± 6.3	[43]
Softwood kraft lignin	55.1	-	1.06 ± 0.07	52 ± 2	[17]
Birch wood lignin	63.7	-	0.66	40.7 ± 6.3	[43]
Organosolv hardwood lignin	64.3	-	0.355 ± 0.053	39.1 ± 13.3	[44]
Hardwood kraft lignin	58.5	-	0.52 ± 0.182	28.6 ± 3.2	[45]
Acetylated softwood kraft lignin	61.3–62.8	-	1.06 ± 0.07	52 ± 2	[46]
Softwood/hardwood kraft lignin	63.8	-	0.233–0.377	25–33	[47]
Switchgrass/boxwood lignin	60.3	-	0.23–0.75	30.4–41.8	[5,48]
Lignin (25%)/PAN blend	65.1	-	2.25	217	[49]
Lignin (30%)/PAN blend	64.5	-	1.72 ± 0.2	230 ± 7	[50]
Lignosulfonate-AN copolymer	40.4–48.5 (500 °C)	-	0.54	-	[51]
Hardwood kraft lignin/PEO	57.3–59.7	-	0.458 ± 0.097	59 ± 8	[52]