In situ synthesis of platelet graphite nanofibers from thermal decomposition of poly(ethylene glycol)

Platelet graphite nanofibers (PGNFs) were synthesized by in situ thermal decomposition from a mixture containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) serving as the carbon source and nickel chloride (NiCl(2)) serving as the catalytic precursor. The mixture was conducted by thermal treatment under a nitrogen atmosphere at 750 degrees C and results found PGNFs with high purity and a uniform diameter distribution formed without hydrocarbon gases in the process. Observations using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed PGNFs with a high degree of graphitization, well-ordered graphene layers, and uniform diameters of 10-20 nm. Thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry-mass spectrometry was employed to study the thermal decomposition phenomena of the mixture (PEG/NiCl(2)) before the thermal process. The analysis clarified the in situ synthesis growth mechanism of PGNFs from the mixture.