Design of a ductile carbon nanofiber/ZrB2 nanohybrid film with entanglement structure fabricated by electrostatic spinning

Abstract Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), a kind of multi-purpose man-made polymer material, has been widely used in various products, including carbon fiber precursor fiber manufacturing. Organic/inorganic nanocomposites can provide precursor material with unique properties due to optimal structural design. Herein, PAN based carbon nanofiber (CNF) coated zirconium borate (ZrB2) particles fiber film was prepared via electrostatic spinning strategy. Crosslinking network between carbon atoms formed at 280 °C due to long chain PAN molecules, which underwent pyrolysis at 800–1200 °C. Scanning electron microscope analysis showed that ductile CNF/ZrB2 hybrid material with entanglement structure was successfully fabricated. Phase composition of the materials was analyzed by X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed the presence of carbon atoms in the materials. Entanglement structure between CNFs and ZrB2 enhanced tensile performance of nanohybrid film, in which CNF film with 25% ZrB2 content exhibited optimal mechanical properties. The design of nanohybrid structure provides facile and universal approach for exploration of organic/inorganic nanocomposites with controlled structures and excellent mechanical properties.