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Download fileElectrospun Composite Nanofiber Yarns Containing Oriented Graphene Nanoribbons
journal contribution
posted on 2013-07-10, 00:00 authored by Hidetoshi Matsumoto, Shinji Imaizumi, Yuichi Konosu, Minoru Ashizawa, Mie Minagawa, Akihiko Tanioka, Wei Lu, James M. TourThe graphene nanoribbon (GNR)/carbon
composite nanofiber yarns were prepared by electrospinning from poly(acrylonitrile)
(PAN) containing graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONRs), and successive
twisting and carbonization. The electrospinning process can exert
directional shear force coupling with the external electric field
to the flow of the spinning solution. During electrospinning, the
well-dispersed GONRs were highly oriented along the fiber axis in
an electrified thin liquid jet. The addition of GONRs at a low weight
fraction significantly improved the mechanical properties of the composite
nanofiber yarns. In addition, the carbonization of the matrix polymer
enhanced not only the mechanical but also the electrical properties
of the composites. The electrical conductivity of the carbonized composite
yarns containing 0.5 wt % GONR showed the maximum value of 165 S cm–1. It is larger than the maximum value of the reported
electrospun carbon composite yarns. Interestingly, it is higher than
the conductivities of both the PAN-based pristine CNF yarns (77 S
cm–1) and the monolayer GNRs (54 S cm–1). These results and Raman spectroscopy supported the hypothesis
that the oriented GONRs contained in the PAN nanofibers effectively
functioned as not only the 1-D nanofiller but also the nanoplatelet
promoter of stabilization and template agent for the carbonization.