Activated carbon fibers from electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile/pitch blends

The electrospinnability of pitch was improved by blending in a solution of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) resulting in the reduction of the average fiber diameter from 2000 to 750 nm. The compositions showing good spinnability are proposed within the soluble concentrations in the ternary phase diagram of the PAN-pitch-solvent, which contains lower concentration of the pitch. Activated carbon fibers were derived by stabilization, carbonization and steam activation at 700, 800, 900 and 1000 degrees C of the PAN/pitch electrospun fibers. The Brunauer, Emmett, Teller (BET) specific surface area ranged from 732 to 1877 m(2)g. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.