**1. Introduction**

Nanofibers are one of the nanotechnology products. Nanofibers are defined as an ultrafine dense fiber having a very small diameter. Nanofibers diameter is tens to hundreds of nanometers, so it is called ultrafine solid fiber (Nanofibers is defined as a fiber with a diameter of 100–500 nm [1]. Research related to nanofibers continues to be carried out for one of the reasons is, has the advantage of a large surface area per unit mass and small pore size and has superior mechanical properties [2], but the quality of nanofibers does not only depend on the chemical properties of the solution but rather the size and mechanical properties also very important [1, 3, 4]. Nanofibers size, density, mechanical properties, and orientation are essential for a reliable product application. The properties and characteristics of the fibers will change drastically when their size subside from micrometers to nanometers, one of which is the increase in the surface area of the fiber to its volume ratio, examples of these mechanical properties are stiffness and strength. With these best characteristics, nanofibers have a very extensive application [5], and nanofibers applications are widely used in various industries. Making nanofibers can be done by several methods, is a multicomponent spinning technique, melt blowing, and electrospinning [6, 7].

The type of nanofibers that is currently developing very rapidly in the field of research, material synthesis systems and product applications is carbon nanofibers (CNF). Carbon nanofibers (CNF) has applications as a promising material and has great potential in various fields, in the chemical field, carbon nanofibers (CNF) have been widely applied to gas and water membranes, by utilizing the advantages of CNF in porosity, surface area high as well as good higher chemical resistance [8]. In the field of physics, the good thermal and electrical conductivity properties make CNF very potential to be applied to electrical devices, batteries in the electrode material, energy storage and as a sensor [9]. While in the field of materials science, CNF has been applied to the strengthening of composites and supercapacitor materials [8, 10].

The precursor for forming carbon nanofibers consists of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) and Carbon, PVA is a polymer that has flexible properties, can form hydrogel bonds, is easily broken down naturally and is often used in the formation of nanofibers [11]. The chemical structure of PVA is shown in **Figure 1**, the degree of hydrolysis of PVA is around 98.5% so that it can dissolve in water with a temperature of 70 ° C [12]. In addition, PVA has optical properties, a quite good load storage capacity but poor conductivity values. Therefore, to overcome the bad conductivity properties can be done by means of doping. The nature of PVA is colorless, odourless, tasteless, and soluble in water [13].

Because PVA has biodegradable properties, this is what makes this polymer widely used for its applications in the medical, food industry and electronics. The physical properties of PVA are presented in **Table 1** below [6]. Anita and Harsojo, in their research, explained that the morphological results of PVA fabrication using electrospinning owned by nanofibers which were formed at a concentration of 10% were continuous [15, 16].

Carbon is a material that has various advantages in terms of physical and chemical properties, so many researchers have developed it today. This advantage of carbon makes it a material with the extensive application. The performance of this carbon is influenced by morphology. This morphological difference will result in the wide application of the carbon, such as catalyst supports, adsorbents, gas storage, separation technology, battery electrodes, porous template materials, fuel cells, and biological cells. In addition, several carbon particles with certain morphologies will have different applications [17], besides carbon material is also an amorphous

**Figure 1.** *PVA Chemical Structure.*


**41**

**2.2 Electrospinning**

*Fabrication of PVA/Carbon-Based Nanofibers Using Electrospinning*

compound which is produced from materials containing carbon or charcoal which are specially treated to obtain high adsorption power. Carbon can adsorb certain gases and chemical compounds, or its adsorption properties are selective, depending on the size or volume of pores and surface area. The absorption capacity of activated carbon is very large, namely 25–100% by weight of activated carbon [18]. The electrospinning method is a method that provides many advantages among the existing methods. This advantage is that the electrospinning technique can produce nano-sized fibers. The formation of jet polymer in the electrospinning method affects the morphological shape of the nanofibers, the polymer jet is influenced by environmental conditions, one of which is humidity [19], but most of the existing studies do not consider the relative humidity of the electrospinning spinning environment. Apart from relative humidity parameters, collector rotational speed affects fiber morphology. Collector rotating speed will affect fiber continuity.

This section discusses the process of obtaining carbon nanofibers or the synthesis process to obtain carbon nanofibers which can be done, such as electrospinning (plate and drum collector), drawing methods and template methods. Each of these carbon nanofibers synthesis methods has its own advantages and

The polymer solution in this study was made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), distilled water and carbon powder precursors with a size of 500 mesh. In the process of forming a polymer synthesis preparation material, PVA (molecular weight 60000,

Merck Co) and carbon as a solute and distilled water as a solvent. The process scheme in making polymer solutions is by determining the concentration of the solution. The concentration of PVA solution that can be used in this study is 13 wt% with the solvent, and 2% wt carbon with distilled water as a solvent. After being measured, PVA and distilled water were mixed in one beaker. Then the magnetic stirrer is inserted into the reaction glass, then it is placed on the magnetic stirrer hotplate which has been activated. The temperature is set to reach 90 °C. After the temperature is right, this stirring process is carried out for one hour. Then the carbon and distilled water are mixed in one beaker glass, with the same steps as the PVA solution, the carbon and the solvent are placed on a hotplate magnetic stirrer which has been activated and the temperature is set to 30 After the temperature has been adjusted, the stirrer is turned on and the stirring process is carried out for one hour after the two solutions have dissolved well then, the PVA and carbon solutions are mixed with a volume ratio of PVA and carbon 2:1, then sonication is carried out by

ultrasonic bath for 5 hours later. Stirred back at 30 °C for one hour.

The electrospinning technique is a technology for making nano-sized fiber materials derived from materials in the form of solutions or liquids, as well as an efficient nanofibers manufacturing system by utilizing the influence of electrostatics in producing a solution (jet) of electrically charged polymer solutions or melts [20]. The electrostatic effect is generated by using a high voltage source. The voltage source that can be done in the use of electrospinning is between 7 kV to 32 kV [21]. Apart from the high voltage, the other important parts controlling the process are a

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96175*

**2. Synthesis of carbon nanofibers**

disadvantages of the resulting material.

**2.1 Preparation of carbon nanofibers (CNF)**

**Table 1.** *Physical Properties of PVA [14].*

#### *Fabrication of PVA/Carbon-Based Nanofibers Using Electrospinning DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96175*

compound which is produced from materials containing carbon or charcoal which are specially treated to obtain high adsorption power. Carbon can adsorb certain gases and chemical compounds, or its adsorption properties are selective, depending on the size or volume of pores and surface area. The absorption capacity of activated carbon is very large, namely 25–100% by weight of activated carbon [18].

The electrospinning method is a method that provides many advantages among the existing methods. This advantage is that the electrospinning technique can produce nano-sized fibers. The formation of jet polymer in the electrospinning method affects the morphological shape of the nanofibers, the polymer jet is influenced by environmental conditions, one of which is humidity [19], but most of the existing studies do not consider the relative humidity of the electrospinning spinning environment. Apart from relative humidity parameters, collector rotational speed affects fiber morphology. Collector rotating speed will affect fiber continuity.
