Phenolic-based carbon nanofiber webs prepared by electrospinning for supercapacitors

Abstract: Phenolic-based carbon nanofiber webs (PCNFWs) were prepared by electrospinning resole-type phenolic resin/PVA blend solution, followed by curing and carbonization. The PCNFWs presented rich micropores and a BET surface area of 416m2/g without any activation process. The electrochemical properties of the PCNFWs were investigated in two- or three-electrode cell. In spite of moderate surface area, the PCNFWs showed excellent capacitance performance. The specific capacitance was up to 171F/g at 5mV/s and remained 84% at 100mV/s. The excellent electrochemical performance was further confirmed through comparison with commercial activated carbon cloth (1201m2/g). The encouraging results showed the potential of the PCNFWs as supercapacitor electrode material. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]