Structural and electronic characteristics induced by carbonization control of mesoporous carbon nanofibers

Mesoporous carbon nanofibers (MCNFs) are fabricated at various carbonization temperatures. The carbonization temperature plays a key role in determining the structural characteristics and the electronic properties of MCNFs. The band gap energies of MCNFs are estimated to be 0.080, 0.036, and 0.014 eV at the carbonization temperatures of 600, 900, and 1200 °C, respectively. The MCNF carbonized at 1200 °C has the highest stacking height of graphene planes (Lc) and the largest number of graphene layers (Lc/d). Raman data show the intensity ratio of D to G peaks, which is related to the graphene size (La). La increases with increasing the carbonization temperature. In addition, as the carbonization temperature increases, the conductivity of MCNF increases due to larges values of Lc, La, and Lc/d.