Tunable polyacrylonitrile-based micellar aggregates as a potential tool for the fabrication of carbon nanofibres

A facile and low-cost method for the preparation of carbon nanofibers is described. Dimensionally stable worm-like micellar aggregates with a compact PAN core have be prepared for the first time, with a precursor diameter tunable by controlling the relative composition of PAN-based block copolymers/PAN blends to be dissolved in a selective solvent. These precursors have been transformed into carbon nanofibers by conventional pyrolysis.