Electrospun ceramic fibers: Composition, structure and the fate of precursors

Fibers are electrospun from aluminum acetate/polymer mixtures and characterized by an array of techniques before and after annealing at 1200 °C. We demonstrate that sodium and boron present in the initial starting materials as adducts and stabilizers remain incorporated into the resulting fibers after annealing and pyrolysis of the host polymer. The influence of these minor constituents on the surfaces of the fibers is suggested by infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic data. The presence of these species may impact potential chemical applications of small diameter ceramic fibers, such as their use as catalytic supports or for chemical decomposition.