Homogeneous thermal stabilization of polyacrylonitrile in an ionic liquid solution for the production of carbon nanospheres

A homogeneous thermal stabilization method was developed to produce the thermally stabilized carbon nanospheres. Nanospheres with an average diameter of about 45 nm were obtained from the polyacrylonitrile in an ionic solution of 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide at different temperatures and ambient pressure. The nanospheres were then carbonized at 1000 degrees C under nitrogen atmosphere to form the carbon nanospheres with a turbostratic graphite structure. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.