Micro-mesoporous graphitic carbon nanofiber membranes

Abstract Micro-mesoporous carbon nanofiber membranes with improved graphitic structure are produced by electrospinning, catalytic graphitization and NH3 treatment. Exceptionally ultrathin curved graphitic nanolayers and developed micro-mesoporous structure with narrow aperiodic mesopore size distribution (3–10 nm) are grown simultaneously in nano-scaled one-dimensional structure. Specific surface area is as high as 1326 m2 g−1. Mesopore volume with pore widths of 3–10 nm exhibiting highly linear dependency on the graphitization degree can be precisely tuned from 0.025 to 0.186 cm3 g−1 by adjusting heat-treatment temperature and transition metal content in the template-free synthesis, due to limitation of nano-scaled fiber diameter.