Carbonization conditions for electrospun nanofibre of polyacylonitrile copolymer

Abstract

Nanofibres of polyacrylonitrile-co-methylmethacrylate (PAN-co-MMA) copolymer have been produced by electrospinning. These nanofibres have been oxidized and carbonized. The effect of heat treatment conditions has been studied. The critical heat treatment (oxidation) temperature is found to be 280ºC. By preventing the nanofibre assemblies from thermal contraction during heat treatment, the surface appearance of the nanofibre assembly acquires a metallic luster. Calcinations of the nanofibres at 900ºC in nitrogen atmosphere results in nitrous fused heterocyclic structure which suggests that the calcinations temperature greater than 1000ºC would be necessary to produce nitrogen-free carbon nanofibres.