Carbon materials from bio-based and tailored precursors

Carbon materials are being intensively studied all over the world at the moment. The drivers for the novel materials and processes nowadays come from sustainable development, energy efficiency and green solutions. Bio-based carbon materials can in the future form the basis of markets currently dominated by petroleum-based carbon materials. One of our approaches is to use renewable wood polymers as raw materials for solid precursors which can be carbonized into novel structural carbon materials to meet the requirements of selected added value applications. We also have lot of experience in production of carbon nanofibres using electrospun precursors. In this presentation we review VTT's carbonization activities including different raw materials, precursor types as well as two carbonization processes - high-temperature carbonization and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) - producing different kind of materials. We also shortly review of modelling efforts in order to better understand carbonization of cellulose.