Preparation of Alumina Nanofibers by Electrospinning

Nanoscale one-dimensional materials, such as nanowires, nanorods, nanowhiskers, and nanofibres, have stimulated great interest due to their importance in basic scientific research and potential technology applications [1-2]. They are expected to play an important role as both interconnects and functional components in the fabrication of nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices. Many unique properties have already been proposed or demonstrated for this class of materials, such as superior mechanical toughness, higher luminescence efficiency, enhancement of thermoelectric figure of merit, and a lowed lasing threshold [1]. Recently, a novel method has been proposed to produce inorganic nanofibres from pre-ceramic precursor in the form of electronspun fibers [3-4]. Electrospinning is the most important technique in manufacturing nanofibers. Its theory is based on electrostatic force. When dope is introduced into the electric field, solution will suffer from electrostatic force, accelerates, undergoes jet instability and splits into nanofibers [5].Alumina (Al2O3) is a well known structural material among function ceramic – in the area of catalysis, microelectronics and optics – both in pure or doped form as well as in combination with others [6]. In the present work, pre-ceramic polymer precursor was first electrospun, and then as-spun fibers were processed to yield the desired alumina nanofibers