Controlled lowering of graphitization temperature of electrospun poly(acrylonitrile) based carbon fiber by carbon nanotube embedment

Structural evolution of electrospun poly(acrylonitrile) based carbon fibers embedded with multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) by heat treatment between 1000 and 3000 °C is reported. The graphitization of the fibers is seen to be enhanced in the presence of MWCNT. Graphite fibers with high crystallinity and with a lattice constant nearly equal to that of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite can be prepared at a temperature of 2000 °C, with a small percentage (∼ 5 wt.%) of MWCNT embedded into it. This is a reduction of the graphitization temperature by ∼ 1000 °C from the conventional graphitization temperature of ∼ 3000 °C without the addition of any metallic catalyst.