Miniaturization of Carbon Materials through Electrochemical Processing and Its Applications for Functionalized Materials

Abstract

Exfoliated carbon fibers (ExCFs) were prepared by rapid heating of intercalation compounds of Pitch-basd and PAN-based carbon fibers. After exfoliation, a single fiber of pitch-based and PAN-based carbon fiber was found to be converted to a bundle of thin filaments and a scale-like fragments, respectively. The ExCFs were found that it have good despersibility. Size of these ExCFs was sub-micro meter to nano meter. Their ExCFs were examined as an electrode of electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) in H2SO4 electrolyte. The capacitance of ExCFs prepared form PAN-based carbon fibers reached 320 F/g in 1 mol/dm3 H2SO4 electrolyte, even though ExCFs had relativity small surface area of around 300 m2/g. On the other hands, the capacitance of ExCFs prepared form Pitc-based carbon fibers reached 550 F/g in 18 mol/dm3 H2SO4 electrolyte. Fabrication of composite using its ExCFs was also investigated. ExCFs were composited with Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) in-situ polymerization process, and them their mechanical properties were examined. Flexural strength and modulus of PMMA composite reinforced by ExCFs increased 166 % and 171 % comparison with bulk PMMA. In addition, it was better than that of PMMA composite reinforced by CNTs. ExCFs might be expected application to energy storage and nano composite, in stead of CNTs.