Fabrication and Characterizations of Silica Nanoparticle Embedded Carbon Nanofibers

Silica nanoparticle/carbon nanofiber composites were fabricated via electrospinning of the apolymeric precursor solution (polyacrylonitrile polymer in N,N-dimethylformamide solvent) containing silica nanoparticles followed by carbonization in an inert gas. The properties of surface morphology, surface area, surface chemistry, and mechanical strength were characterized using Fourier transform scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 physisorption analyzer, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). SiO2 nanoparticles with average size about 200 nm exhibited dispersion along the carbon nanofiber surface. Here, the capability to use silica nanoparticles was demonstrated to create high-surface-area carbonized nanofiber with improved mechanical strength for easier handling in the applications requiring good mechanical properties materials such as water treatment processes. The specific surface area of the PAN/silica carbon nanofiber composite reached 280 m2/, which is higher than the surface area of pure carbon PAN nanofibers, which was 19 m2/g.