Turbostratic graphite nanofibres from electrospun solutions of PAN in dimethylsulphoxide

Homogenous turbostratic graphite nanofibres (TGNFs) have been synthesized by heat treatment of electrospun polyacrylonitrile in dimethylsulphoxide, offering a solution route of low toxicity to manufacture sub-60 nm diameter TGNFs. Characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy have been used to study the graphitization process, and structural morphology of the nanofibres. The TGNFs have an entangled micro-fibril structure with turbostratic ordering of up to 40 graphene layers after heat treatment at 3000 °C.