Electrospinning graphite/SiC mesoporous hybrid fibers with tunable structures

It is critically important to limit the oxidation of pure SiC in humid air, especially for mesoporous SiC with large surface areas. One of the effective routes is to introduce an inert outer layer around the surface of SiC to inhibit the formation of the SiOx oxides. In present work, we report the fabrication of mesoporous graphite/SiC hybrid fibers via electrospinning of the polymer precursors containing polyureasilazane, polyvinylpyrrolidone, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and paraffin oil, combined with subsequent high-temperature pyrolysis treatment. The resultant fibers were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). It is found that the paraffin oil content has a profound effect on the growth of the fibers, enabling the fabrication of mesoporous graphite/SiC hybrid fibers with tunable structures and high purities. It is expected that the introduced graphite could significantly improve the surface properties of SiC mesoporous fibers, which could inspire and enhance their potential applications in photocatalysts and catalyst supports.