Comparative Study of Metal Substrates for Improved Carbonization of Electrospun PAN Nanofibers

Carbon nanofibers are used for a broad range of applications, from nano-composites to energy storage devices. They are typically produced from electrospun poly(acrylonitrile) nanofibers by thermal stabilization and carbonization. The nanofiber mats are usually placed freely movable in an oven, which leads to relaxation of internal stress within the nanofibers, making them thicker and shorter. To preserve their pristine morphology they can be mechanically fixated, which may cause the nanofibers to break. In a previous study, we demonstrated that sandwiching the nanofiber mats between metal sheets retained their morphology during stabilization and incipient carbonization at 500 °C. Here, we present a comparative study of stainless steel, titanium, copper and silicon substrate sandwiches at carbonization temperatures of 500 °C, 800 °C and 1200 °C. Helium ion microscopy revealed that all metals mostly eliminated nanofiber deformation, whereas silicone achieved the best results in this regard. The highest temperatures for which the metals were shown to be applicable were 500 °C for silicon, 800 °C for stainless steel and copper, and 1200 °C for titanium. Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy revealed a higher degree of carbonization and increased crystallinity for higher temperatures, which was shown to depend on the substrate material.