Preparation and characterization of PVC-based carbon nanofibers with barrel-like graphite granules by electrospinning

•Carbon nanofibers were fabricated from electrospun PVC fibers.•PVC-based carbon fibers with 50–100 nm in diameter possess graphitic nanoparticles.•The hydrogen storage capacity of the carbon nanofibers is 0.30 wt%.

PVC-based carbon nanofibers with graphitic nanoparticles were fabricated by an electrospinning–carbonization technique and characterized by SEM, (HR)TEM and XRD. The hydrogen storage capability of the resultant nanofibers was evaluated using the volumetric method. The results show that the PVC-based carbon nanofibers obtained from the electrospun PVC/NiCl2 nanofibers consist of both amorphous carbon and a well-grown graphite layered sphere with a diameter of 35 nm. It is clear that the iodine treatment is essential for retaining a fibrous shape during the carbonization, and Ni is beneficial to the growth of graphitization at low temperatures. The hydrogen storage capacity of the PVC-based carbon nanofibers obtained at 1000 °C is 0.30 wt%, suggesting that the resultant nanofibers are a potential energy storage material.