Fabrication and Properties of Rapid Thermally Processed Carbon Nanofibers

The fabrication and properties of carbon nanofibers are interesting because of the fiber’s expected conductivity properties. If we can successfully control the fabrication and manipulation of carbon nanofibers we should be able to build nanoscale electronics. In this attempt, we have been able to successfully control some of the properties for the fabrication of nanofibers. Carbon nanofibers were obtained by electrospinning a polymer solution, polyacrylonitrile, and then heating it on a vacuum furnace. Thermal analysis helped us determine the minimum heating temperature that the fibers must be exposed to obtain carbon fibers. The relationship between voltage, and the amount of solvent, with the thickness of the fibers was studied using a scanning electron microscope. A strongly non-linear relationship between the voltage and the thickness suggests a sinusoidal relationship. On the other hand, a linear relationship between the amount of solvent and the inverse of the thickness was observed. The resistivity of a single carbon fiber was studied; its total resistance agreed with the sum of the resistances of smaller sections. This implies that the resistance along the carbon fiber is linear. Raman microscopy established the chemical bonding of the carbon nanofibers as a function of the heating temperature.