4 th Brazilian Conference on Composite Materials. Rio de Janeiro, July 22 nd -25 th , 2018 1 KRAFT LIGNIN FROM PAPER MILL LIGNOBOOST® PROCESS - A PROMISE TO LOW COST GREEN CARBON FIBER Katia S. D. Nunes (1) and Luiz C. Pardini (2) (1) Departamento de Química dos Materiais em Ciências e Tecnologias Espaciais (CTE-Q) -ITA - Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica - São José dos Campos, Brazil (2) Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia Aeroespacial - DCTA - Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço-IAE, Divisão de Materiais (AMR) - São José dos Campos, Brazil https://doi.org/10.21452/bccm4.2018.14.06 ABSTRACT The application of lignins in biodegradable/biobased materials is receiving increasing attention as the world looks for alternatives to petrochemicals. A new industrial method used to obtain higher purity and low cost lignin is now possible by the LignoBoost® process. The kraft lignin from this process has high carbon content level and opened a new research line for the production of products with high economic value like low cost carbon fiber. Kraft lignin is a paper mill waste with very low production costs that could open new possibilities for the lignin applications. In this work, three different types of lignin were compared with a regular carbon fiber precursor in order to verify their potential as alternative low cost precursor materials. The key aspect to be considered in the assessment of potential use of the material in the production of precursors is the carbon content level since it is the foremost constituent element of carbon-based materials. 1. INTRODUCTION The use of biologically derived polymers (bio macromolecules) is emerging as an important component for economic development. By transforming forest and agricultural feedstock’s, a new class of renewable, biodegradable and biocompatible materials (biomaterials) is being introduced [1, 2]. Emerging applications for bio macromolecules range from packaging and industrial chemicals, to producing ‘green’ materials with unique physical and functional properties, the processes used to create bio-based materials lead to new manufacturing opportunities that minimize energy consumption and waste [1]. Recently, environmental concerns have sparked interest in utilizing biodegradable and bio-derived materials in various industrial