Wettability Gradient-Induced Diode:MXene-Engineered Membrane for Passive-Evaporative Cooling

Thermoregulatory textiles,leveraging high-emissivity structural materials,have arisen as a promising candidate for personal cooling management;however,their advancement has been hindered by the underperformed water moisture transportation capacity,which impacts on their thermophysiological comfort.Herein,we designed a wettability-gradient-induced-diode(WGID)membrane achieving by MXene-engineered electrospun technology,which could facilitate heat dissipation and moisture-wicking transportation.As a result,the obtained WGID membrane could obtain a cooling temperature of 1.5℃ in the“dry”state,and 7.1℃ in the“wet”state,which was ascribed to its high emissivity of 96.40%in the MIR range,superior thermal conductivity of 0.3349 W m^(-1) K^(-1)(based on radiation-and conduction-controlled mechanisms),and unidirectional moisture transportation property.The proposed design offers an approach for meticulously engineering electrospun membranes with enhanced heat dissipation and moisture transportation,thereby paving the way for developing more efficient and comfortable thermoregulatory textiles in a high-humidity microenvironment.

Grapevine-like high entropy oxide composites boost high-performance lithium sulfur batteries as bifunctional interlayers

Lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)with high energy densities have been demonstrated the potential for energy-intensive demand applications.However,their commercial applicability is hampered by hysteretic electrode reaction kinetics and the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs).In this work,an interlayer consisting of high-entropy metal oxide(Cu_(0.7)Fe_(0.6)Mn_(0.4)Ni_(0.6)Sn_(0.5))O_(4) grown on carbon nanofibers(HEO/CNFs)is designed for LSBs.The CNFs with highly porous networks provide transport pathways for Li^(+) and e^(-),as well as a physical sieve effect to limit LiPSs crossover.In particular,the grapevine-like HEO nanoparticles generate metal-sulfur bonds with LiPSs,efficiently anchoring active materials.The unique structure and function of the interlayer enable the LSBs with superior electrochemical performance,i.e.,the high specific capacity of 1381 mAh g^(-1) at 0.1 C and 561 mAh g^(-1) at 6 C.This work presents a facile strategy for exploiting high-performance LSBs.

Electrospun carbon nanofiber-supported V_(2)O_(3) with enriched oxygen vacancies as a free-standing high-rate anode for an all-vanadium-based full battery

Synergistic regulation of hierarchical nanostructures and defect engineering is effective in accelerating electron and ion transport for metal oxide electrodes.Herein,carbon nanofiber-supported V_(2)O_(3) with enriched oxygen vacancies(OV-V_(2)O_(3)@CNF)was fabricated using the facile electrospinning method,followed by thermal reduction.Differing from the traditional particles embedded within carbon nanofibers or irregularly distributed between carbon nanofibers,the free-standing OV-V_(2)O_(3)@CNF allows for V_(2)O_(3) nanosheets to grow vertically on one-dimensional(1D)carbon nanofibers,enabling abundant active sites,shortened ion diffusion pathway,continuous electron transport,and robust structural stability.Meanwhile,density functional theory calculations confirmed that the oxygen vacancies can promote intrinsic electron conductivity and reduce ion diffusion energy barrier.Consequently,the OV-V_(2)O_(3)@CNF anode delivers a large reversible capacity of 812 mAh g^(-1) at 0.1 A g^(-1),superior rate capability(405 mAh g^(-1) at 5 A g^(-1)),and long cycle life(378 mAh g^(-1) at 5 A g^(-1) after 1000 cycles).Moreover,an all-vanadium full battery(V2O5//OV-V_(2)O_(3)@CNF)was assembled using an OV-V_(2)O_(3)@CNF anode and a V2O5 cathode,which outputs a working voltage of 2.5 V with high energy density and power density,suggesting promising practical application.This work offers fresh perspectives on constructing hierarchical 1D nanofiber electrodes by combining defect engineering and electrospinning technology.

Enhanced axonal regeneration and functional recovery of the injured sciatic nerve in a rat model by lithium-loaded electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds

Increasing evidence indicates that engineered nerve grafts have great potential for the regeneration of peripheral nerve injuries(PNIs).While most studies have focused only on the topographical features of the grafts,we have considered both the biophysical and biochemical manipulations in our applied nanoscaffold.To achieve this,we fabricated an electrospun nanofibrous scaffold(ENS)containing polylactide nanofibers loaded with lithium(Li)ions,a Wnt/β-catenin signaling activator.In addition,we seeded human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(hADMSCs)onto this engineered scaffold to examine if their differentiation toward Schwann-like cells was induced.We further examined the efficacy of the scaffolds for nerve regeneration in vivo via grafting in a PNI rat model.Our results showed that Li-loaded ENSs gradually released Li within 11 d,at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to(3.64±0.10)mmol/L,and upregulated the expression of Wnt/β-catenin target genes(cyclinD1 and c-Myc)as well as those of Schwann cell markers(growth-associated protein 43(GAP43),S100 calcium binding protein B(S100B),glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP),and SRY-box transcription factor 10(SOX10))in differentiated hADMSCs.In the PNI rat model,implantation of Li-loaded ENSs with/without cells improved behavioral features such as sensory and motor functions as well as the electrophysiological characteristics of the injured nerve.This improved function was further validated by histological analysis of sciatic nerves grafted with Li-loaded ENSs,which showed no fibrous connective tissue but enhanced organized myelinated axons.The potential of Li-loaded ENSs in promoting Schwann cell differentiation of hADMSCs and axonal regeneration of injured sciatic nerves suggests their potential for application in peripheral nerve tissue engineering.

Stiffness of In-Situ Formed Interleaving Polymeric Nanofiber-Epoxy Nanocomposites

This study proposes a facile, but precise method to back-calculate the effective modulus of nanocomposite interleaving plies. Adaptation of a conventional dry-reinforcement resin film infusion (RFI) approach allows interleaving neat epoxy layers (NE) with the epoxy-infused nanofibrous plies (XE) of constant thickness. The final cured nanocomposite laminate thus has the form (NE/XE)n, where “n” denotes the number of the repeats and enables clear distinction of the nanocomposite interlayers through the thickness. Mechanical testing of neat epoxy and laminated nanocomposite specimens can be coupled with the classical lamination theory for back-calculating in-plane elastic modulus of the individual epoxy-infused nanofibrous plies (EXE). Finite element analysis (FEA) and testing the laminated nanocomposite subject to flexural loading (3-point bending) are proposed to validate the analytically back-calculated EXE. It is shown that the FEA prediction incorporating EXE and testing for flexural modulus of (NE/XE)20 laminated nanocomposites correlate well and the results are within 5%. This finding suggests that the back-calculation scheme reported herein would be attractive for accurately determining the properties of an individual nanocomposite building block layer. The proposed framework is beneficial for modelling laminated structural composites incorporating XE-like nanocomposite interlayers.

In vitro and In vivo Evaluation of the Developed PLGA/HAp/Zein Scaffolds for Bone-Cartilage Interface Regeneration

Objective To investigate the effect of electronspun PLGA/HAp/Zein scaffolds on the repair of cartilage defects. Methods The PLGA/HAp/Zein composite scaffolds were fabricated by electrospinning method. The physiochemical properties and biocompatibility of the scaffolds were separately characterized by scanning electron microscope （SEM）, transmission electron microscope （TEM）, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR）, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells （hUC-MSCs） culture and animal experiments. Results The prepared PLGA/HAp/Zein scaffolds showed fibrous structure with homogenous distribution, hUC-MSCs could attach to and grow well on PLGA/HAp/Zein scaffolds, and there was no significant difference between cell proliferation on scaffolds and that without scaffolds （P〉0.05）. The PLGA/HAp/Zein scaffolds possessed excellent ability to promote in vivo cartilage formation. Moreover, there was a large amount of immature chondrocytes and matrix with cartilage lacuna on PLGA/HAp/Zein scaffolds. Conclusion The data suggest that the PLGA/HAp/Zein scaffolds possess good biocompatibility, which are anticipated to be potentially applied in cartilage tissue engineering and reconstruction.

Design and criteria of electrospun fibrous scaffolds for the treatment of spinal cord injury

The complex pathophysiology of spinal cord injury may explain the current lack of an effective therapeutic approach for the regeneration of damaged neuronal cells and the recovery of motor functions. Many efforts have been performed to design and develop suitable scaffolds for spinal cord regeneration, keeping in mind that the reconstruction of a pro-regenerative environment is the key challenge for an effective neurogenesis. The aim of this review is to outline the main features of an ideal scaffold, based on biomaterials, produced by the electrospinning technique and intended for the spinal cord regeneration. An overview of the poly- mers more investigated in the production of neural fibrous scaffolds is also provided.

The effect of the fibre orientation of electrospun scaffolds on the matrix production of rabbit annulus fibrosus-derived stem cells

Annulus fibrosus （AF） tissue engineering has recently received increasing attention as a treatment for intervertebral disc 0VD） degeneration; however, such engineering remains challenging because of the remarkable complexity of AF tissue. In order to engineer a functional AF replacement, the fabrication of cell-scaffold constructs that mimic the cellular, biochemical and structural features of native AF tissue is critical. In this study, we fabricated aligned fibroua polyurethane scaffolds using an electrospinning technique and used them for culturing AF-derived-stem/progenitor cells （AFSCs）. Random fibrous scaffolds, also prepared via electrospinningy were used as a control. We compared the morphology, proliferation, gene expression and matrix production of AFSCs on aligned scaffolds and random scaffolds. There was no apparent difference in the attachment or proliferation of cells cultured on aligned scaffolds and random scaffolds. However, compared to cells on random scaffolds, the AFSCs on aligned scaffolds were more elongated and better aligned, and they exhibited higher gene expression and matrix production of coUagen-I and aggrecan. The gene expression and protein production of coUagen-II did not appear to differ between the two groups. Together, these findings indicate that aligned fibrous scaffolds may provide a favourable microenvironment for the differentiation of AFSCs into cells similar to outer AF cells, which predominantly produce collagen-I matrix.

High-performance all-solid-state polymer electrolyte with fast conductivity pathway formed by hierarchical structure polyamide 6 nanofiber for lithium metal battery

The utilization of all-solid-state electrolytes is considered to be an effective way to enhance the safety performance of lithium metal batteries.However,the low ionic conductivity and poor interface compatibility greatly restrict the development of all-solid-state battery.In this study,a composite electrolyte combining the electrospun polyamide 6(PA6)nanofiber membrane with hierarchical structure and the polyethylene oxide(PEO)polymer is investigated.The introduction of PA6 nanofiber membrane can effectively reduce the crystallinity of the polymer,so that the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte can be enhanced.Moreover,it is found that the presence of finely branched fibers in the hierarchical structure PA6 membrane allows the polar functional groups(C=O and N-H bonds)to be fully exposed,which provides sufficient functional sites for lithium ion transport and helps to regulate the uniform deposition of lithium metal.Moreover,the hierarchical structure can enhance the mechanical strength(9.2 MPa)of the electrolyte,thereby effectively improving the safety and cycle stability of the battery.The prepared Li/Li symmetric battery can be stably cycled for 1500 h under 0.3 mA cm^(-2) and 60℃.This study demonstrates that the prepared electrolyte has excellent application prospects in the next generation all-solid-state lithium metal batteries.

CONTROL OF DIMENSIONAL STABILITY AND DEGRADATION RATE IN ELECTROSPUN COMPOSITE SCAFFOLDS COMPOSED OF POLY(D,L-LACTIDE-co-GLYCOLIDE) AND POLY(ε-CAPROLACTONE)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of composition poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/poly(ε- caprolactone)(PLGA/PCL)blending on the morphology,shrinkage and degradation behaviors of the electrospun fibers. With the increase of PLGA content in the composite fibers,the average diameter of the electrospun fibers increased from 1.35μm to 1.95μm.The serious shrinking of the electrospun PLGA meshes could be circumvented by adding 20% PCL in the fibers,resulting from the semi-crystalline nature of ...

Electronic modulation and interface engineering of electrospun nanomaterials‐based electrocatalysts toward water splitting

Nowdays,electrocatalytic water splitting has been regarded as one of the most efficient means to approach the urgent energy crisis and environmental issues.However,to speed up the electrocatalytic conversion efficiency of their half reactions including hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER),electrocatalysts are usually essential to reduce their kinetic energy barriers.Electrospun nanomaterials possess a unique one‐dimensional structure for outstanding electron and mass transportation,large specific surface area,and the possibilities of flexibility with the porous feature,which are good candidates as efficient electrocatalysts for water splitting.In this review,we focus on the recent research progress on the electrospun nanomaterials‐based electrocatalysts for HER,OER,and overall water splitting reaction.Specifically,the insights of the influence of the electronic modulation and interface engineering of these electrocatalysts on their electrocatalytic activities will be deeply discussed and highlighted.Furthermore,the challenges and development opportunities of the electrospun nanomaterials‐based electrocatalysts for water splitting are featured.Based on the achievements of the significantly enhanced performance from the electronic modulation and interface engineering of these electrocatalysts,full utilization of these materials for practical energy conversion is anticipated.

Enhanced air filtration performance under high-humidity condition through electrospun membranes with optimized structure

The separation stability under high-humidity is significant in practical applications for air filters.Herein,hydrophobic polyvinyl chloride(PVC)nanofiber filters with bead-on-string structure are designed to steadily remove particle matter under high relative humidity of 90%-95%.The developed hydrophobic filters possess comparable separation performance with the hydrophilic one,but greatly enhanced stability.After the introduction of beadon-string structure,the filtration performance can be furtherly improved due to the formed large cavities and hydrophobicity.Such hydrophobic PVC filters can be promising candidates for air purification in practical applications especially in wet seasons.

Hierarchical structured CoP nanosheets/carbon nanofibers bifunctional eletrocatalyst for high-efficient overall water splitting

The design of efficient,stable,and economical electrocatalysts for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reaction(OER and HER)is a major challenge for overall water splitting.Herein,a hierarchical structured CoP/carbon nanofibers(CNFs)composite was successfully synthesized and its potential application as a high-efficiency bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall splitting water was evaluated.The synergetic effect of two-dimensional(2D)CoP nanosheets and on e-dimensi on al(1D)CNFs endowed the CoP/CNFs composites with abundant active sites and rapid electron and mass transport pathways,and thereby significantly improved the electrocatalytic performances.The optimized CoP/CNFs delivered a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2) at low overpotential of 325 mV for OER and 225 mV for HER.In the overall water splitting,CoP/CNFs achieved a low potential of 1.65 V at 10 mA cm^(-2).The facile strategy provided in the present work can facilitate the design and development of multifunctional non-noble metal catalysts for energy applications.

Electrospun antibacterial nanofibers for wound dressings and tissue medicinal fields:A Review

Bacterial infections are a major cause of chronic infections.Thus,antibacterial material is an urgent need in clinics.Antibacterial nanofibers,with expansive surface area,enable efficient incorporation of antibacterial agents.Meanwhile,structure similar to the extracellular matrix can accelerate cell growth.Electrospinning,the most widely used technique to fabricate nanofiber,is often used in many biomedical applications including drug delivery,regenerative medicine,wound healing and so on.Thus,this review provides an overview of all recently published studies on the development of electrospun antibacterial nanofibers in wound dressings and tissue me-dicinal fields.This reviewer begins with a brief introduction of electrospinning process and then discusses electrospun fibers by incorporating various types of antimicrobial agents used as in wound dressings and tissue.Finally,we finish with conclusions and further perspectives on electrospun antibacterial nanofibers as 2D biomedicine materials.

Bimetallic ZIFs-derived electrospun carbon nanofiber membrane as bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc-air battery

The recharged zinc-air battery(ZAB) has drawn significant attention owing to increasing requirement for energy conversion and storage devices.Fabricating the efficient bifunctional oxygen catalyst using a convenient strategy is vitally important for the rechargeable ZAB.In this study,the bimetallic ZIFs-containing electrospun(ES) carbon nanofibers membrane with hierarchically porous structure was prepared by coaxial electrospinning and carbonization process,which was expected to be a bifunctional electrocatalyst for ZABs.Owing to the formed dual single-atomic sites of Co-N_(4) and Zn-N_(4),the obtained ES-Co/ZnCNZIFexhibited the preferable performance toward oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) with E1/2of 0.857 V and JLof 5.52 mA cm^(-2),which were more than Pt/C.Meanwhile,it exhibited a marked oxygen evolution reaction(OER) property with overpotential of 462 mV due to the agglomerated metallic Co nanoparticles.Furthermore,the ZAB based on the ES-Co/Zn-CNZIFcarbon nanofibers membranes delivered peak power density of 215 mW cm^(-2),specific capacity of 802.6 mA h g^(-1),and exceptional cycling stability,far larger than Pt/C+RuO_(2)-based ZABs.A solid-state ZAB based on ES-Co/Zn-CNZIFshowed better flexibility and stability with different bending angles.

Hierarchically electrospun nanofibers and their applications:A review

Electrospinning is a popular method for generating long and continuous nanofibers due to its simplicity and versatility.However,conventional electrospun products have weak strength and low availability,which restrict their functionality in complex applications.Hierarchical morphology introduces additional and distinctive structural layers onto electrospun fibers.This requires either an extra fabrication step or controlling electrospinning parameters to achieve the desired morphology.Hierarchical morphology can improve the properties of electrospun nanofibers while also mitigating the undesired characteristics.This review discusses the primary and secondary hierarchical structures of electrospun nanomaterials.Hierarchical structures were found to enhance the functionality of nanomaterials and improve pore connectivity and surface areas of electrospun nanofibers.A further advantage is the ability to impart multiple functionalities on nanostructures.With a better understanding of some of the dominant hierarchical structures,nanomaterials applications in drug delivery,tissue engineering,catalysis,and energy devices industries can be improved.

Electrospun fiber membrane with asymmetric NO release for the differential regulation of cell growth

The high incidence of cardiovascular disease has led to significant demand for synthetic vascular grafts in clinical applications.Anti-proliferation drugs are usually loaded into devices to achieve desirable anti-thrombosis effects after implantation.However,the non-selectiveness of these conventional drugs can lead to the failure of blood vessel reconstruction,leading to potential complications in the long term.To address this issue,an asymmetric membrane was constructed through electro-spinning techniques.The bilayer membrane loaded and effectively released nitric oxide(NO),as hoped,from only one side.Due to the short diffusion distance of NO,it exerted negligible effects on the other side of the membrane,thus allowing selective regulation of different cells on both sides.The released NO boosted the growth of endothelial cells(ECs)over smooth muscle cells(SMCs)-while on the side where NO was absent,SMCs grew into multilayers.The overall structure resembled a native blood vessel,with confluent ECs as the inner layer and layers of SMCs to support it.In addition,the membrane preserved the normal function of ECs,and at the same time did not exacerbate inflammatory responses.By preparing this material type that regulates cell behavior differentially,we describe a new method for its application in the cardiovascular field such as for artificial blood vessels.

Electrospun Semiconductor-Based Nano-Heterostructures for Photocatalytic Energy Conversion and Environmental Remediation:Opportunities and Challenges

Harvesting solar energy to drive the semiconductor photocatalysis offers a promising tactic to address ever-growing challenges of both energy shortage and environmental pollution.Design and synthesis of nano-heterostructure photocatalysts with controllable components and morphologies are the key factors for achieving highly efficient photocatalytic processes.Onedimensional(1D)semiconductor nanofibers produced by electrospinning possess a large ratio of length to diameter,high ratio of surface to volume,small grain sizes,and high porosity,which are ideally suited for photocatalytic reactions from the viewpoint of structure advantage.After the secondary treatment of these nanofibers through the solvothermal,gas reduction,in situ doping,or assembly methods,the multi-component nanofibers with hierarchical nano-heterostructures can be obtained to further enhance their light absorption and charge carrier separation during the photocatalytic processes.In recent years,the electrospun semiconductorbased nano-heterostructures have become a“hot topic”in the fields of photocatalytic energy conversion and environmental remediation.This review article summarizes the recent progress in electrospinning synthesis of various kinds of high-performance semiconductor-based nano-heterostructure photocatalysts for H2 production,CO_(2) reduction,and decomposition of pollutants.The future perspectives of these materials are also discussed.

Polymer-free electrospun separator film comprising silica nanofibers and alumina nanoparticles for Li-ion full cell

A separator film for high-performance Li-ion batteries was prepared by electrospinning. The film had a hybrid morphology of silica nanofibers(SNFs) and alumina nanoparticles(ANPs), with a smooth surface, polymer-free composition, high porosity(79%), high electrolyte uptake(876%), and excellent thermal stability. Contact angle measurements demonstrated the better immersion capability of the SNF-ANP separator film for commercial liquid electrolytes than a commercial CELGARD 2500 separator film. Moreover,compared to the commercial CELGARD 2500 separator, the ionic conductivity of the SNF-ANP separator film was nearly three times higher, the bulk resistance was lower at elevated temperature(120 ℃), the interfacial resistance with lithium metal was lower, and the electrochemical window was wider. Full cells were fabricated to determine the cell performance at room temperature. The specific capacity of the full cell with the SNF-ANP separator film was 165 mAh g-1;the cell was stable for 100 charge/discharge cycles and exhibited a capacity retention of 99.9%. Notably, the electrospun SNF-ANP separator film can be safely used in Li-ion or Li-S rechargeable batteries.

Neuron-fibrous scaffold interfaces in the peripheral nervous system: a perspective on the structural requirements

The nerves of the peripheral nervous system are not able to effectively regenerate in cases of severe neural injury.This can result in debilitating consequences,including morbidity and lifelong impairments affecting the quality of the patient’s life.Recent findings in neural tissue engineering have opened promising avenues to apply fibrous tissue-engineered scaffolds to promote tissue regeneration and functional recovery.These scaffolds,known as neural scaffolds,are able to improve neural regeneration by playing two major roles,namely,by being a carrier for transplanted peripheral nervous system cells or biological cues and by providing structural support to direct growing nerve fibers towards the target area.However,successful implementation of scaffold-based therapeutic approaches calls for an appropriate design of the neural scaffold structure that is capable of up-and down-regulation of neuron-scaffold interactions in the extracellular matrix environment.This review discusses the main challenges that need to be addressed to develop and apply fibrous tissue-engineered scaffolds in clinical practice.It describes some promising solutions that,so far,have shown to promote neural cell adhesion and growth and a potential to repair peripheral nervous system injuries.