Fabrication of Porous Alumina Nanofibers with Hollow Structure by Single Capillary Electrospinning

Abstract

Alumina nanofibers were fabricated by single-spinneret electrospinning of aluminium nitrate (Al (NO 3 ) 3 )/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor solution, followed by sintering treatment. The Al (NO 3 ) 3 /PAN composite fibers and sintered fibers were characterized by SEM, TG, FTIR and XRD. It is found that the obtained alumina nanofibers show porous external surfaces and hollow sections. Upon calcining the composite fibers at 1000 or 1300 oC, the nanofibers are consisted of α-phased crystalline grains. Sintering temperature plays an important role in controlling the morphology and crystal structure of the nanofibers. A mechanism based on Kirkendall Effect was proposed to explain the formation process of the hollow structure.