Graphite nanofibers prepared from catalytic graphitization of electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers and their hydrogen storage capacity

Electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers were carbonized with iron(III) acetylacetonate to induce catalytic graphitization within the temperature range 800–1800 °C. Carbonization in the presence of the catalyst produced graphite nanofibers (GNFs). Their structural properties and morphology were investigated. GNFs with a high surface area of 377–473 m2/g showed the typical Type II containing mesopore in nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms. The hydrogen storage capacity of these GNFs was evaluated by the gravimetric method using a magnetic suspension balance (MSB) at room temperature and about 80 bar. The hydrogen storage capacity was 0.11–0.18 wt.%. The effective pore size for hydrogen storage compared to the diameter of the hydrogen molecule is discussed.