ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the basic theory of electrospinning, the techniques of electrospinning, the types and characteristics of electrospun carbon nanofibers, and applications for energy conversion and storage. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and solar cells are representative examples. Carbon materials have been a key component in today’s LIBs due to their chemical stability, excellent electrical conductivities, and large surface areas. Among them, carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have attracted particular attentions. In general, there are two methods of producing CNFs: vapor growth and spinning. The electrospun CNFs form a highly conductive continuous membrane, which can be directly used as an electrode for further deposition of active materials for energy applications, particularly metal oxides. These include three methods: direct electrochemical deposition, electrolysis induced precipitation, and electrophoretic deposition. Dye-sensitized solar cells have attracted extensive attention as a potential technology to solve energy problems because of lower production cost than silicon solar cells and the advantage of generating energy with visible light.
