Flexible, freestanding carbon nanofiber (CNF) mats with high surface area were obtained from electrospun precursor polymer polyacrylonitrile (PAN) containing ZIF-8. Uniform fibers with submicron diameters were obtained without aggregation of ZIF-8. The precursor and carbonized fibers were characterized by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, SEM and XRD. The calculated BET surface area was as high as 639 and 1163 m2/g for the CNFs containing 5% and 10% ZIF-8, respectively. These were tested as binder-free electrodes in an ionic liquid electrolyte using a coin cell (CR2023) configuration. Cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge tests showed improvement electrochemical performance as the amount of ZIF-8 is increased. A 10% loading of ZIF-8 with respect to PAN gave a specific capacitance of 96 F/g at 25 mV/s and energy and power densities of 58 Wh/kg and 1729 W/kg, respectively.

Composite carbon nanofibers derived from electrospun polyacrylonitrile/ZIF-8 as electrode materials for supercapacitors

247th National Meeting (2014)

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