A small amount of graphene is enough to make carbon nanofibers

Researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln developed a new way to produce carbon nanofibers. The used crumpled graphene as a template followed by carbonization. They say their method promises to improve composite materials at a low cost because they do not need a lot of expensive nano materials.

The UNL team developed a process to incorporate graphene oxide nanoparticles as a template to guide the formation and orientation of continuous carbon nanofibers, which should improve the fiber's properties. That process involves crumpling the graphene in a way that improves graphene as a templating and orientation agent.