Electrospun flexible lignin/polyacrylonitrile-based carbon nanofiber and its application in electrode materials for supercapacitors

In this study, a lignin/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) composite nanofiber membrane is prepared by electrospinning and used as the precursor to prepare flexible carbon nanofibers (CNFs) through pre-oxidation and carbonization. The micromorphology, crystal structure, pore size distribution and specific surface area of the CNFs are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and specific surface adsorption analysis, respectively. The electrochemical properties of the CNF membrane are also investigated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy due to its potential application in binder-free electrode materials for supercapacitors. We successfully prepared flexible CNFs with an average diameter of about 539 nm and a specific surface area of 1053.78 m(2)/g when the mass ratio of lignin to PAN was 9:1 in a solution concentration of 28 wt%. The CNFs are loaded onto nickel foam to prepare the electrode materials for supercapacitors without a binder. When the current density is 0.5 A/g, the specific capacitance could be up to 201.27 F/g and the equivalent series resistance is only 0.57 omega, which shows an excellent electrochemical performance. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of lignin and the preparation of flexible lignin/PAN-based CNFs, but also provides a new type of environmentally friendly raw material for the electrodes of supercapacitors and could be helpful to alleviate the energy crisis and environmental pollution.