Poly(vinyl alcohol)-niobium oxide (Nb 2 O 5 ) composite nanofibers (precursors) were formed by electrospinning employing water as a solvent for the spinning solution. The precursors were converted into Nb 2 O 5 or carbide (NbC) nanofibers by heating them in air or Ar. Hexagonal Nb 2 O 5 nanofibers with high-specific surface area were obtained by heat-treatment of the precursors in air. NbC nanofibers could be obtained below theoretical temperatures calculated from thermodynamics data, indicating that the precursor is a nano-scale mixture of Nb and carbon sources.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.