Life cycle assessment of lignin-based carbon fibres
Other conference contribution, 2019

Lignin-based carbon fibres may replace both glass fibres and fossil-based carbon fibres. The objective of this study was to determine the environmental impact of the production of lignin-based carbon fibres using life cycle assessment. The life cycle assessment was done from cradle to gate and followed an attributional approach. The climate impact per kg of lignin- based carbon fibres produced was 1.50 kg CO2,eq. In comparison to glass fibres, the climate impact was reduced by 32% and the climate impact of fossil-based carbon fibres was an order of magnitude higher. A prospective analysis, in which the background energy system was cleaner, showed that the environmental impact of lignin-based carbon fibres will decrease and outperform the glass fibres and fossil-based carbon fibres from a climate impact point-of-view. The constructed LCA model can be applied in further studies of products that consist of or use lignin-based carbon fibres.

prospective analysis

life cycle assessment

lignin-based carbon fibres

climate impact

Kraft lignin

Bio-based economy

Author

Mathias Janssen

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Eva Gustafsson

Södra

Linda Echardt

Södra

Johan Wallinder

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Jens Wolf

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

14th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES)
Dubrovnik, Croatia,

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Subject Categories

Other Environmental Engineering

Environmental Management

More information

Latest update

3/8/2022 1