IMPROVING SOME STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF NON-WOVEN NETWORKS COMPOSED OF CARBON NANOFIBERS RECYCLED FROM ACRYLIC YARNS

In this research, non-woven carbon nanofiber networks were fabricated starting from acrylic yarn polymer. The yarns were recycled by dissolving them in N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent to form a polymer solution. The optimal conditions for the electrospinning process were determined, and the electrospinning process was conducted to obtain a non-woven nanofiber network. Subsequently, heat treatment processes were performed on the prepared networks through thermal stabilization by placing the sample in an oven up to a temperature of 230°C for two hours to ensure structural stability.Then, the carbonization process was carried out under different operating conditions (gas used and temperature) with a heating rate of one degree per minute, aimed at removing non-carbon elements. The samples were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to determine the morphological structure of the prepared samples. EDX analysis was also performed to determine the carbon percentage in the sample and to ensure the formation of a non-woven carbon nanofiber network. The results obtained by exposing the sample to heat and Argon gas up to 750°C were compared with a carbon nanofiber sample prepared at 650°C in the presence of Nitrogen. Finally, The electrical conductivity of the prepared carbon nanofiber network was measured using a four-probe device, it was (84.11 S/cm).