Electrospun N-doped porous carbon nanofiber webs as anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanofiber webs (NPCNFs) were prepared from mixtures of polyacrylonitrile and melamine byelectrospinning, followed by oxidative stabilization, carbonization and steam activation. The NPCNFs are free-standing,exhibit an interconnected non-woven nanofibrous morphology and a well-developed microporous structure, and can be used directly as anodes for lithium ion batteries without adding binder or conductive filler. The NPCNF from the mixture with a melamine/polyacrylonitrile mass ratio of 1:3 has a high specific capacity of 856 mAh·g^-1 and a satisfactory rate capability. These intriguing characteristics make the NPCNFs promising anode candidates for high-performance lithium ion batteries.