The Effect of Nitrogen and Oxygen Dopants on the Morphology and Microstructure of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Incorporated Electrospun Poly(acrylonitrile) Based Activated Carbon Nanofibers

Abstract

The effect of doping with nitrogen or oxygen on the morphology and microstructure of activated carbon nanofibers incorporated with zinc oxide nanoparticles is reported. Zinc oxide nanoparticles incorporated poly(acrylonitrile) nanofibers with average nanofiber diameter in the range of 66–119 nm (doped with nitrogen) and 104–168 nm (doped with oxygen) were electrospun. The diameter of the nitrogen doped zinc oxide incorporated nanofibers, increased from 66 to 98 nm and 114 to 119 nm for 5 and 10% w/w zinc oxide, respectively after pyrolysis, as a result of the carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide nanoparticles. With oxygen doped nanofibers, diameter increased from 104 to 140 nm for 5% w/w zinc oxide and decreased from 168 to 145 nm for 10% w/w zinc oxide after pyrolysis. Doping led to a higher weight loss during the activation of nanofibers. The higher amount of dopants, the higher was the weight loss. Although the incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles increased the crystallinity index of poly(acrylonitrile) nanofibers from 21 to 74.4%, doping with nitrogen and oxygen did not lead to a considerable crystallinity change either before or after pyrolysis. No reaction or interaction was found between zinc oxide and either poly(acrylonitrile) or activated carbon because of doping.