PAN-based Nanofibers Research Articles

Batch fabrication and characterization of aligned PAN-based nanofiber membranes for lithium-ion battery separators

Due to their excellent porosity, large specific surface area and unique pore structure, the electrospun nanofiber membranes (NFMs) have been widely studied as separators for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, an improved funneling air-jet electrospinning device was proposed to fabricate high-quality aligned polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based NFMs for LIB separators in large quantities. Its spinning mechanism and effect were studied by combining numerical analysis and experiments. On this basis, the aligned PAN-based NFMs obtained were applied to the LIB separators, and their thermal stability, electrolyte affinity and related electrochemical performance were investigated. The results showed that the properties of aligned PAN separator were better than those of disordered PAN separator, and the addition of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) could further improve the separator properties. Finally, the LIB assembled by superposing the aligned PAN/PMMA/SWCNTs NFM and polypropylene (PP) separator as a LIB separator (PAN/PMMA/SWCNTs//PP) had better electrochemical stability, rate and cycling capabilities (capacity retention of 102.81 % after 100 cycles), indicating that PAN/PMMA/SWCNTs//PP was a potential high-performance LIB separator.

PAN-based nanofiber reduced graphene oxide electrodes for supercapacitor applications

PAN-based nanofiber reduced graphene oxide electrodes for supercapacitor applications

Preparation of Reusable Porous Carbon Nanofibers from Oxidized Coal Liquefaction Residue for Efficient Adsorption in Water Treatment.

Porous carbon nanofibers are commonly used for adsorption processes owing to their high specific surface area and rich pore structure. However, the poor mechanical properties of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based porous carbon nanofibers have limited their applications. Herein, we introduced solid waste-derived oxidized coal liquefaction residue (OCLR) into PAN-based nanofibers to obtain activated reinforced porous carbon nanofibers (ARCNF) with enhanced mechanical properties and regeneration for efficient adsorption of organic dyes in wastewater. This study examined the effects of contact time, concentration, temperature, pH, and salinity on the adsorption capacity. The adsorption processes of the dyes in ARCNF are appropriately described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum adsorption capacity for malachite green (MG) on ARCNF is 2712.84 mg g-1 according to the fitted parameters of the Langmuir model. Adsorption thermodynamics indicated that the adsorptions of the five dyes are spontaneous and endothermic processes. In addition, ARCNF have good regenerative performance, and the adsorption capacity of MG is still higher than 76% after 5 adsorption-desorption cycles. Our prepared ARCNF can efficiently adsorb organic dyes in wastewater, reducing the pollution to the environment and providing a new idea for solid waste recycling and water treatment.

Statistical Modelling of Process Variables in the Electrospinning Production of PAN-Based Nanofibers

In this study, the effects of the electrospinning operating parameters such as flow rate (1-5 ml/h), voltage (15-30 kV), and distance to the collector (100-200 mm) on the physical properties of PAN-based nanofibers were investigated statistically by applying the central composite design method. The minimum nanofiber diameter was found to be 366.5 nm, under operating conditions of 5 ml/h flow rate, 30 kV, and 100 mm distance to the collector. Experimental conditions of 15 kV, 5 ml/h flow rate, and a 200 mm distance to the collector, a maximum porosity value of 0.446 was obtained. Similarly to the porosity, the water absorption capacity (WAC) value did not show a linear increase, and the maximum absorption capacity was calculated as 5712%, and at that point where the diameter is relatively large and the porosity is low.

The Effect of Electrospinning Parameters on Morphological and Mechanical Properties of PAN-based Nanofibers Membrane

The electrospun nanofibers membranes (ENMs) have gained great attention due to their superior performance. However, the low mechanical strength of ENMs, such as the rigidity and low strength, limits their applications in many aspects which need adequate strength, such as water filtration. This work investigates the impact of electrospinning parameters on the properties of ENMs fabricated from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solved in N, N-Dimethylformamide (DMF). The studied electrospinning parameters were polymer concentration, solution flow rate, collector rotating speed, and the distance between the needle and collector. The fabricated ENMs were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to understand the surface morphology and estimate the average fiber sizes. The membrane porosity percentage was measured using the dry-wet weight method. Also, a dynamic mechanical analyzer was used to determine the mechanical strength properties (tensile strength and Young's modulus) (DMA). The obtained results revealed that the polymer concentration and flow rate mainly affect the porosity and fiber size in ENMs. Increasing the polymer concentration improves the strength and flexibility, while the flow rate did not show a clear effect on the mechanical strength of ENMs. Both fibers collecting speed and spinning distance did not clearly impact the membrane morphology. ENMs flexibility significantly increased with increasing the collector speed and decreasing the spinning distance. Strong and flexible ENMs with small fibers can be fabricated using 10% PAN/DMF at a flow rate of 1 mL/h, collector speed of 140 rpm, and spinning distance of 13 cm.

Effect of Solvent Type on PAN–Based Nonwoven Nanofibers Membranes Characterizations

Electrospun nanofiber membranes are employed in a variety of applications due to its unique features. the nanofibers' characterizations are effected by the polymer solution. The used solvent for dissolving the polymer powder is critical in preparing the precursor solution. In this paper, the Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based nanofibers were prepared in a concentration of 10 wt.% using various solvents (NMP, DMF, and DMSO). The surface morphology, porosity, and the mechanical strength of the three prepared 10 wt.% PAN-based nanofibers membranes (PAN/NMP, PAN/DMF, and PAN/DMSO) were characterized using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Dry-wet Weights method, and Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA). Using DMF as a solvent resulted in a long, beaded, homogeneous, and smooth surface fibrous structure with an average diameter of 260 nm, which was the best among the solvents tested in this study in terms of porosity and mechanical strength.

Comparative Study of the Structural, Mechanical and Electrochemical Properties of Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-Based Polypyrrole (PPy) and Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Electrospun Nanofibers

In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based polypyrrole (PPy) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers (PAN/PPy, PAN/PVDF and PAN/PPy/PVDF) were produced by an electrospinning method and their mechanical and electrochemical properties were compared, resulting in obtaining a composite material that had high mechanical strength and electrical conductivity at the same time. The morphological, structural, mechanical and electrochemical performance of the nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicated that beadless and smooth nanofiber formation was achieved for all of the PAN/PPy, PAN/PPy/PVDF and PAN/PVDF combinations. PAN/PPy/PVDF, containing 80 wt% PAN 10 wt% PPy and 10 wt% PVDF, had the highest BET surface area and the smallest pore size. In terms of mechanical properties, PAN/PPy/PVDF nanofibers (80 wt% PAN, 10 wt% PPy, 10 wt% PVDF) also showed the highest Young Modulus, 36.82 MPa, while that of the PAN/PPy nanofibers was the lowest. Therefore, in terms of physical and mechanical properties, the PAN/PPy/PVDF combination was favored. However, in terms of the electrochemical properties, CV and EIS data showed that the PAN/PPy nanofibers had the highest electrical conductivity among the PAN-based nanofibers.

Excellent microwave absorption of lightweight PAN-based carbon nanofibers prepared by electrospinning

One-dimensional PAN-based carbon nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning in combination with a high-temperature carbonization process. The prepared PAN-based nanofibers were characterized by a high aspect ratio. The microwave absorption property was adjusted by controlling the carbonization temperature. The carbonization temperature affected the degree of graphitization, which directly affected the dielectric loss and further improved the microwave absorption properties of PAN-based carbon nanofibers. The PAN-based carbon fibers were optimized in terms of both maximum reflection loss (RLmin) and effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) after carbonization at 800 °C. The PAN-based carbon fiber/paraffin composites containing 10 wt% filler exhibited excellent absorption performance with a maximum reflection loss of − 12.75 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.88 GHz (13.12–18 GHz) at 2.2 mm, which basically covered the Ku-band (12.88–17.88 GHz). When the absorber thickness was 2.4 mm, the reflection loss at 14.4 GHz was − 11.39 dB, and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth was 5.04 GHz (11.92–16.96 GHz). PAN-based carbon nanofibers showed excellent absorption properties due to the dielectric loss in cooperation with good impedance matching.

Rapid In Situ Polymerization of Polyacrylonitrile/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites as Precursors for High-Strength Carbon Nanofibers.

Graphene oxide (GO) has been widely used as an additive of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon nanofibers (CNFs) to optimize its crystal structure and improve the mechanical performances of nanofibers. However, the homogeneous dispersion of GO nanosheets among entangled PAN molecular chains is always challenging, and the poor dispersion of GO severely limits its positive effects on both the structure and performances of CNFs. Considering this issue, this paper provides for the first time an effective solution to achieve rapid and uniform introduction of GO in PAN-based nanofibers via in situ polymerization, and the optimization of the nanofiber structure by GO is systematically studied in three consecutive stages (polymerization, electrospinning, and carbonization) of the production process. During in situ polymerization, PAN is tightly attached on GO nanosheets to form PAN/GO nanocomposites, and this interaction is maintained throughout the spinning process. Not only the arrangement of PAN molecular chains but also the crystal size of the final turbostratic structure of CNFs is considerably improved by the interaction between PAN and GO. Besides, the direct proof that GO nanosheets promote the crystallization and orientation of the nanofiber matrix is presented. As a result, the tensile strength of CNFs is remarkably increased by 2.45 times with 0.5 wt % addition of GO. In summary, this paper provides a method for efficiently introducing nanoscale additives into PAN-based nanofibers and gives insights into the production of high-performance CNFs with the addition of GO.

Optimization of Topography and Surface Properties of Polyacrylonitrile-Based Electrospun Scaffolds via Nonoclay Concentrations and its Effect on Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Nowadays, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most widely used cell sources for bone regenerative medicine. Electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based scaffolds play an important role in bone tissue engineering due to their good mechanical properties, which could be enhanced by the presence of nanoparticles such as nanoclay. This study evaluated the in-vitro effect of different concentrations of nanoclay in surface characteristic properties of PAN-based electrospun nanofiber scaffolds and the osteogenic differentiation ability of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs). After electrospinning nanofibers, their structure were assessed through some characterization tests. Then AD-MSCs isolation and characterization were done, and the cell attachment and the biocompatibility were determined. Finally, osteogenic differentiation-related markers, genes, and proteins were studied. Clay-PAN25% electrospun nanofiber scaffold could support attachment, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of AD-MSCs better than other groups. Also, nanoclay could enhance the properties of PAN-based scaffolds, such as fiber diameter, topography, surface charge, hydrophilicity, roughness, and degradation, as well as osteogenic differentiation of cells. As a result, Clay-PAN25% with the highest concentration of nanoclay was found as a promising biodegradable and cost-effective scaffold for osteogenic differentiation of AD-MSCs.

Highly Efficient Purification of Multicomponent Wastewater by Electrospinning Kidney-Bean-Skin-like Porous H-PPAN/rGO-g-PAO@Ag+/Ag Composite Nanofibrous Membranes.

Due to the complexity of harmful wastewater components, environmental and multifunctional materials are required for sewage purification. In this paper, a novel kidney-bean-skin-like hydrophilic porous polyacrylonitrile/reduced graphene oxide-g-poly(amidoxime)-loaded Ag+ (H-PPAN/rGO-g-PAO@Ag+/Ag) composite nanofiber membrane was fabricated by combining electrospinning and hydrolysis methods. The spinning solution was pumped at a rate of 0.4 mL/h with the voltage set at a constant value of 23 kV. Then, some of the -CN groups switched to hydrophilic -COOH groups via a hydrolysis method, which acts as a linker of GO-g-PAN, Ag+, and the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix. A further step of chelation and thermal treatment were used for generating Schottky junctions between rGO-g-PAO@Ag+ and Ag. After five-cycle tests, it exhibited outstanding mechanical properties ensuring the filtration and purification performance of the H-PPAN/rGO-g-PAO@Ag+/Ag composite nanofiber membrane (i.e., the tensile strength was still 7.21 MPa, and the elongation was 61.53%) for simulated wastewater. The methods of thermal treatment and high-pressure Hg lamp irradiation promoted the reduction of GO to rGO and Ag+ to Ag particles, which endows the final product H-PPAN/rGO-g-PAO@Ag+/Ag with excellent photocatalytic and bactericidal properties. Its catalytic efficiency for dyes benzoic acid (BA), Rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), and methyl orange (MO) was up to 99.8, 98, 95, and 91%. The antibacterial rate was 100% against Escherichia coli and 99% against Staphylococcus aureus. More importantly, the photocatalytic and antibacterial PAN-based nanofiber membrane can be simply scaled up, which provides the membrane with great potential in highly efficient wastewater treatment and augmenting water supply.

Preparation, Stabilization and Carbonization of a Novel Polyacrylonitrile-Based Carbon Fiber Precursor.

The quality of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor has a great influence on the properties of the resultant carbon fibers. In this paper, a novel comonomer containing the sulfonic group, 2-acrtlamido-2-methylpropane acid (AMPS), was introduced to prepare P(AN-co-AMPS) copolymers using itaconic acid (IA) as the control. The nanofibers of PAN, P(AN-co-IA), and P(AN-co-AMPS) were prepared using the electrospinning method. The effect of AMPS comonomer on the carbon nanofibers was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Raman spectrum. The structural evolutions of PAN-based nanofibers were quantitatively tracked by FTIR and XRD during the thermal oxidative stabilization (TOS) process. The results suggested that P(AN-co-AMPS) nanofibers had the lower heat release rate (ΔH/ΔT = 26.9 J g−1 °C−1), the less activation energy of cyclization (Ea1 = 26.6 kcal/mol and Ea2 = 27.5 kcal/mol), and the higher extent of stabilization (Es and SI) during TOS process, which demonstrated that the AMPS comonomer improved the efficiency of the TOS process. The P(AN-co-AMPS) nanofibers had the better thermal stable structures. Moreover, the carbon nanofibers derived from P(AN-co-AMPS) precursor nanofibers had the better graphite-like structures (XG = 46.889). Therefore, the AMPS is a promising candidate comonomer to produce high performance carbon fibers.

N-Enriched carbon nanofibers for high energy density supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries.

Nitrogen enriched carbon nanofibers have been obtained by one-step carbonization/activation of PAN-based nanofibers with various concentrations of melamine at 800 °C under a N2 atmosphere. As synthesised carbon nanofibers were directly used as electrodes for symmetric supercapacitors. The obtained PAN-MEL fibers with 5% melamine stabilised at 280 °C and carbonized at 800 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere showed excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of up to 166 F g−1 at a current density of 1A g−1 using 6 M KOH electrolyte and a capacity retention of 109.7% after 3000 cycles. It shows a 48% increase as compared to pristine carbon nanofibers. Two electrode systems of the CNFM5 sample showed high energy densities of 23.72 to 12.50 W h kg−1 at power densities from 400 to 30 000 W kg−1. When used as an anode for Li-ion battery application the CNFM5 sample showed a high specific capacity up to 435.47 mA h g−1 at 20 mA g−1, good rate capacity and excellent cycling performance (365 mA h g−1 specific capacity even after 200 cycles at 100 mA g−1). The specific capacity obtained for these nitrogen enriched carbon nanofibers is higher than that for pristine carbon nano-fibers.

Electrohydrodynamic Casting Bismuth Telluride Microparticle-Loaded Carbon Nanofiber Composite Material With Multiple Sensing Functions

In this work, an electrohydrodynamic casting approach was used to manufacture a carbon nanofiber (CNF) composite material containing bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) particles. A 10% polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer solution was taken as the precursor to generate nanofibers. Bismuth telluride microparticles were added into the polymer solution. The particle-containing solution was electrohydrodynamically cast onto a substrate to form a PAN-based nanofiber composite mat. High temperature heat treatment on the polymeric matrix composite mat in hydrogen atmosphere resulted in the formation of a microparticle-loaded CNF composite material. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis was conducted to observe the morphology and reveal the composition of the composite material. Energy conversion functions in view of converting heat into electricity, electromagnetic wave energy into heat, and photon energy into electricity were shown. Strong Seebeck effect, hyperthermia, and photovoltaics of the composite mat were found. In addition, the potential applications as sensors were discussed.

Oxidation of polyacrylonitrile nanofiber webs as a precursor for carbon nanofiber: aligned and non-aligned nanofibers

Carbon nanofibers have a great potential for supercapacitor, battery, photocatalytic applications, and supporting material for light weight composite structures. In addition to use as a carbon fiber precursor, oxidized PAN nanofiber can also be used to produce inherently flame-resistant materials. Temperature and time are the major parameters for oxidation stabilization process and it is possible to examine the oxidation efficiency comparing with the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflection (FTIRATR) spectroscopic results for different temperatures and time intervals. Thus, PAN nanofiber production and oxidation process well examined to fabricate desired featured CNFs. The conventional carbon fiber route which includes oxidation and carbonization can be adapted to obtain carbon nanofibers. In this study, several production parameters for PAN-based nanofiber fabrication were investigated intensely and oxidation studies of PAN-based nanofibers were examined to get an approach to oxidation procedure for carbon nanofiber production. Improved quality of precursor of PAN-based nanofiber webs directly affects the final product, carbon nanofiber properties. Thus, PAN-based nanofiber webs were prepared via electrospinning technique with aligned and non-aligned forms. Rotating and fixed collectors were used to diversify the samples and investigate the physical and chemical changes on the samples. FTIRATR spectroscopy was used to record the characteristic peaks of the nanofiber webs before and after oxidation. Nanofiber webs were characterized using DMA for their mechanical properties. Differential scanning calorimeter was used for thermal analysis. During the thermal treatment, nitrile group of PAN converts to C=N and C–N groups through cyclized structure. For all steps, surface morphology of the fibers was observed with scanning electron microscope and average fiber diameter was calculated through the fabrication steps. In this study, not only mechanical properties of the webs were investigated, but also chemical structure of the oxidized webs was studied. Aligned nanofibers have exhibited superior mechanical properties than the non-aligned ones.

Microporous Carbon Polyhedrons Encapsulated Polyacrylonitrile Nanofibers as Sulfur Immobilizer for Lithium–Sulfur Battery

Microporous carbon polyhedrons (MCPs) are encapsulated into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers by electrospinning the mixture of MCPs and PAN. Subsequently, the as-prepared MCPs-PAN nanofibers are employed as sulfur immobilizer for lithium-sulfur battery. Here, the S/MCPs-PAN multicomposites integrate the advantage of sulfur/microporous carbon and sulfurized PAN. Specifically, with large pore volume, MCPs inside PAN nanofibers provide a sufficient sulfur loading. While PAN-based nanofibers offer a conductive path and matrix. Therefore, the electrochemical performance is significantly improved for the S/MCPs-PAN multicomposite with a suitable sulfur content in carbonate-based electrolyte. At the current density of 160 mA g-1sulfur, the S/MPCPs-PAN composite delivers a large discharge capacity of 789.7 mAh g-1composite, high Coulombic efficiency of about 100% except in the first cycle, and good capacity retention after 200 cycles. In particular, even at 4 C rate, the S/MCPs-PAN composite can still release the discharge capacity of 370 mAh g-1composite. On the contrary, the formation of the thick SEI layer on the surface of nanofibers with a high sulfur content are observed, which is responsible for the quick capacity deterioration of the sulfur-based composite in carbonate-based electrolyte. This design of the S/MCPs-PAN multicomposite is helpful for the fabrication of stable Li-S battery.

Thermal, Electrical and Surface Hydrophobic Properties of Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofibers for Structural Health Monitoring

This paper presents an idea of using carbonized electrospun Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers as a sensor material in a structural health monitoring (SHM) system. The electrospun PAN fibers are lightweight, less costly and do not interfere with the functioning of infrastructure. This study deals with the fabrication of PAN-based nanofibers via electrospinning followed by stabilization and carbonization in order to remove all non-carbonaceous material and ensure pure carbon fibers as the resulting material. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to determine the ionic conductivity of PAN fibers. The X-ray diffraction study showed that the repeated peaks near 42° on the activated nanofiber film were α and β phases, respectively, with crystalline forms. Contact angle, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were also employed to examine the surface, thermal and chemical properties of the carbonized electrospun PAN fibers. The test results indicated that the carbonized PAN nanofibers have superior physical properties, which may be useful for structural health monitoring (SHM) applications in different industries.

Preparation of graphene/carbon hybrid nanofibers and their performance for NO oxidation

A series of novel microdomain-graphitized polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based nanofibers were prepared by adding varied amounts of graphene oxide into the precursor via the electrospinning method. These hybrid electrospun nanofibers with were stabilized in ambient atmosphere, carbonized in nitrogen atmosphere and treated in NH3 atmosphere for NO oxidation with low concentration (50ppm) at room temperature. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption at 77K. Oxidation of NO into NO2 at room temperature was investigated in a fiber fixed-bed. The results demonstrated that the reduced graphene oxide sheets provide catalytic active sites embedded in the PAN-based nanofibers. In addition it was determined that nitrogen-containing functional groups played important roles in the enhancement of the catalytic oxidation of NO to NO2. The samples with 5wt.% GO exhibit the most catalytic oxidation of NO into NO2.

Effects of chemical composition and post-spinning stretching process on the morphological, structural, and thermo-chemical properties of electrospun polyacrylonitrile copolymer precursor nanofibers

Electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) copolymer nanofibers (particularly those after the post-spinning stretching process) are expected to be an innovative type of precursors for making continuous carbon nanofibers with superior mechanical properties. In this study, three types of unidirectionally aligned PAN-based nanofibers including homo-PAN, binary-PAN (a PAN copolymer with itaconic acid units), and ternary-PAN (a PAN copolymer with itaconic acid and methyl acrylate units) were prepared by the electrospinning technique; thereafter, the nanofibers (in the form of bundles) were stretched into 3 times of their original lengths in hot water at 97 °C. The effects of chemical composition and post-spinning stretching process on morphological, structural, and thermo-chemical properties of these precursor nanofibers were investigated. The results indicated that, the stretched electrospun binary-PAN nanofibers possessed the most desired thermo-chemical properties, macromolecular regularity, crystal and macromolecule orientations, and dimensional stability; and thus they are suitable for the development of high-performance carbon nanofibers.

Preparation of phosphorylated polyacrylonitrile-based nanofiber mat and its application for heavy metal ion removal

A phosphorylated PAN-based nanofiber (P-PAN) mat is prepared by electrospinning technique followed by chemical grafting modification, which is suitable for metal adsorption due to their high adsorption capacity for metal ions. The content of phosphorous in phosphorylated PAN fibers is 5.45mg/g. Adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics are used to examine the fundamental adsorption properties. It is found that the adsorption isotherms of P-PAN nanofibers toward Pb2+, Cu2+, and Ag+ are fitted better with Freundlich isotherm model and the adsorption of Cd2+ is fitted better with Langmuir isotherm model. Kinetics of the Pb2+, Cu2+, Ag+, and Cd2+ ions adsorption are found to follow pseudo-second-order rate equation. Through the analysis of the XPS data, phosphorous and nitrogen containing functional groups play the major role in the complexation with heavy metal ions. In addition, the obtained phosphorylated PAN fibers also show high recyclable removal efficiency through the adsorption/desorption experiments. This study provides a promising adsorbent in heavy metal ions wastewater treatment.