Preparation of graphene/carbon hybrid nanofibers and their performance for NO oxidation

A series of novel microdomain-graphitized polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based nanofibers were prepared by adding varied amounts of graphene oxide into the precursor via the electrospinning method. These hybrid electrospun nanofibers with were stabilized in ambient atmosphere, carbonized in nitrogen atmosphere and treated in NH3 atmosphere for NO oxidation with low concentration (50 ppm) at room temperature. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. Oxidation of NO into NO2 at room temperature was investigated in a fiber fixed-bed. The results demonstrated that the reduced graphene oxide sheets provide catalytic active sites embedded in the PAN-based nanofibers. In addition it was determined that nitrogen-containing functional groups played important roles in the enhancement of the catalytic oxidation of NO to NO2. The samples with 5 wt.% GO exhibit the most catalytic oxidation of NO into NO2.