New discovery on the role of graphene nanoplates in enhancing the structural and electrical properties of carbon nanofibers.

In this study, carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were successfully manufactured from special polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) copolymer/graphene nanoplates (GNPs) via an electrospinning process after that stabilization and carbonization approaches. The carbonization stage for stabilized SPAN/GNPs nanofibers was applied by heating the samples to 900 °C under an N 2 inert atmosphere. The relationship of the GNPs concentration with morphological and structural properties of SPAN/GNPs composite nanofibers has been examined. The fineness and crystallinity of composite nanofiber increase with increasing concentration of GNPs from 0 to 4 wt%. With increasing the GNPs concentration in the SPAN/GNPs solutions from 0 to 4 wt%, the average diameter of nanofibers decreased from 480 ± 78 nm to 174 ± 18 nm. All CNFs samples synthesized at 900 °C have acceptable morphological, structural, and electrical properties. Moreover, the microstructure of the SCNFs can be controlled with GNPs concentration in composite nanofibers. The electrical conductivity of CNFs attained from neat nanofibers is 0.25 × 10+4 S/m, which is increased to 1.37 × 10+4 S/m with 4 wt% GNPs. Therefore, the unique 2D structure of GNPs is very suitable for the development of low-cost and conductive CNFs with low temperatures of carbonization. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]