Electrospinning synthesis and structural characterization of manganese oxyborate (Mn2OBO3) necklace-like nanofibers

Abstract

Manganese oxyborate (Mn2OBO3) necklace-like nanofibers have been successfully synthesized by an electrospinning technique. First, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) PVP/[Mn(CH3COO)2 + H 3BO3] composite fibers (average size of 300 ± 10 nm in diameter) were fabricated by an electrospinning method using a solution that contained PVP and manganese acetate and boric acid. Manganese oxyborate (Mn2OBO3) nanofibers were prepared by sintering the above composite fibers in air at 600, 700, and 800 °C, and the calcined nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. After sintering at 600 °C, monoclinic phase Mn 2OBO3 nanofibers of 180 ± 20 nm in diameter were successfully obtained. Morphology analysis showed that the surface of the 700 °C-sintered Mn2OBO3 nanofibers (average size of 250 ± 20 nm in diameter) was rough and they had fiberlike structure with packed particles. The 800 °C-sintered Mn2OBO 3 fibers have necklace-like morphology. The crystallite size of the nanoparticles contained in nanofibers increases from 100 to 200 nm with increasing calcination temperature between 700 and 800 °C. The morphology changes of the Mn2OBO3 nanofibers can be attributed to the grain growth during the calcinations process. The Raman spectrum of Mn 2OBO3 was provided and assigned. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.