We present for the first time a novel strategy of producing carbon nanofibers (CNFs) using polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-incorporated with iron oxide particles using electrospinning method. The successfully electrospun iron oxide-incorporated PAN thin white web was stabilized in air. Formation of iron oxide nanoparticles resulted in the formation of porous structure on the web. Following heat treatment to the stabilized fibers to about 1000 degrees C in an N(2) atmosphere resulted in CNFs with specific surface areas, which ranged from 310, 420. and 550 m(2) g(-1), for PAN containing 1, 2 and 3 wt.% iron oxide, respectively. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.