A Review of Multifunctional Nanocomposite Fibers:Design,Preparation and Applications

Nanocomposite fibers are fibrous materials with specific properties and functionalities,which are prepared by introducing nanomaterials or nanostructures in the fibers.Polymeric nanocomposite fibers exhibit multiple functionalities,showing great application potential in healthcare,aerospace,mechanical engineering,and energy storage.Here,six functionalities of polymer nanocomposite fibers are reviewed:mechanical reinforcement,resistance to electromagnetic interference and flame,thermal and electrical conduction,generation of far-infrared ray,negative ion and electricity,energy storage,and sensing.For each functionality,the fiber component selection and preparation methods are summarized.The commonly used polymers comprise natural and synthetic polymers,and typical nanomaterials include carbon-based,polymer-based,metal-based,and metal oxide-based ones.Various compounding strategies and spinning approaches,such as wet-spinning,melt-spinning,and electrospinning,are introduced.Moreover,the functional properties of fibers fabricated from different constituents and by different strategies are compared,providing a reference for performance optimization.Finally,the prospective directions of research and application are discussed,and possible approaches are suggested to facilitate the development of advanced nanocomposite fibers.

Synergistic effect of chitin nanofibers and polyacrylamide on electrochemical performance of their ternary composite with polypyrrole

Development of simple methods for preparation of polymeric electrode materials with nanofibrous network structure is a perspective way toward cheap supercapacitors with high specific capacitance and energy density. In this work one-pot synthesis of electroactive ternary composite based on polypyrrole, polyacrylamide and chitin nanofibers with beneficial morphology was elaborated. Ternary system demonstrates better electrochemical performance in comparison with both polypyrrole–polyacrylamide and polypyrrole–chitin binary composites. Possible mechanism of synergistic effect of simultaneous influence of polyacrylamide and chitin nanofibers on the formation of composite＇s structure is discussed.The highest attained specific capacitance of electroactive polypyrrole in ternary composite reached 249 F/g at 0.5 A/g and 150 F/g at 32 A/g. Symmetrical supercapacitor was assembled using the elaborated electrode material. High specific capacitance 89 F/g and good cycling stability with capacitance retention of 90% after 3000 cycles at 2 A/g were measured.

Effect of carbon nanotube on physical and mechanical properties of natural fiber/glass fiber/cement composites

The objective of this investigation was to introduce a cement-based composite of higher quality. For this purpose new hybrid nanocomposite from bagasse fiber,glass fiber and multi-wall carbon nanotubes（MWCNTs）were manufactured. The physical and mechanical properties of the manufactured composites were measured according to standard methods. The properties of the manufactured hybrid nanocomposites were dramatically better than traditional composites. Also all the reinforced composites with carbon nanotube, glass fiber or bagasse fiber exhibited better properties rather than neat cement.The results indicated that bagasse fiber proved suitable for substitution of glass fiber as a reinforcing agent in the cement composites. The hybrid nanocomposite containing10 % glass fiber, 10 % bagasse fiber and 1.5 % MWCNTs was selected as the best compound.

Super-tough and strong nanocomposite fibers by flow-induced alignment of carbon nanotubes on grooved hydrogel surfaces

Nanocomposite fibers have attracted intensive attentions owing to their promising applications in various fields. However, the fabrication of nanocomposite fibers with super toughness and strong strength under mild conditions remains a great challenge. Here we present a facile flow-induced assembly strategy for the development of super-tough and strong nanocomposite fibers with highly ordered carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which can be induced by directional and fast flow on a grooved hydrogel surface. The prepared nanocomposite fibers show excellent mechanical properties, with a tensile strength up to 643±27 MPa and toughness as high as 77.3±3.4 MJ m^-3 at ultimate strain of 14.8±1.5%. This versatile and efficient flow-induced alignment strategy represents a promising direction for the development of high-performance nanocomposites for practical applications.

The structure and mechanical property of silane-graftedpolyethylene/SiO_(2) nanocomposite fiber rope

The effect of vinyltrimethoxysilane(VTMS)graft and SiO_(2) on the structure and mechanical properties of silane-grafted-polyethylene/SiO_(2)(VTMS-g-PE/SiO_(2))nanocomposite fibers and ropes was studied.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM),Fourier transfer infrared(FT-IR),differential scanning calorimetry analysis(DSC)and tensile mechanical tests were performed to characterize the morphology,thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposite fibers and ropes.The results revealed that the SiO_(2) nanoparticles were well dispersed throughout the polymeric matrix.With increasing SiO_(2) content,T_(m),the melt peak width and X_(c),degree of crystallinity,of VTMS-g-PE/SiO_(2) nanocomposite fibers increased.The breaking load and breaking strength of the nanocomposite fiber ropes were remarkably improved compared to pure PE fiber ropes and elongation at break was also decreased.

Electrical and non-linear optical studies on electrospun ZnO/BaO composite nanofibers

Nanocapacitors and nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memories require nanoscale thin film coatings with ferroelectric properties. One dimensional ferroelectric nanofibers are used in ferroelectric memory devices owing to the fact that decrease of the dimensionality of the memory device elements will reduce the addressing and appreciably increase the storage capacity, Novel ZnO/BaO nanocomposite fibers exhibiting ferroelectric properties have been prepared in the form of non-woven mesh by electrospinning the sol derived from the sol-gel route, Thin cylindrical nanofibers of average diameter 100 nm have been obtained and their morphology is confirmed by SEM and AFM images. In the electrospinning process, the effect of the working distance on the fiber morphology was studied and it showed that working distance between 11 and 15 cm can produce fibers without beads and the decrease in working distance in this range increases the fiber diameter. Powder XRD was used to identify the phases and EDX analysis confirmed the presence of ZnO/BaO. Dielectric and non-linear optical properties have also been studied. The dielectric studies showed that ZnO/BaO composite nanofibers undergo a phase transition from ferroelectric to paraelectric at 323 K.

Improving the Economic Values of the Recycled Plastics Using Nanotechnology Associated Studies

Recycled polystyrene （PS） cups were chopped up and separately incorporated with multiwall carbon nanotubes （MWCNTs） and NiZn ferrite （Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4） nanoparticles prior to electrospinning under different conditions. These nanoscale inclusions were initially dispersed well in dimethylformamide （DMF）, and then known amounts of the recycled PS pieces were added to the dispersions prior to 30 min of sonication followed by 4 h of high-speed agitation at 750 r/min. The thermal, dielectric, surface hydrophobic, and magnetic properties of the resultant nanocomposite fibers were determined by thermal comparative, capacitance bridge, vibrating sample magnetometer （VSM）, and goniometer techniques, respectively. Test results confirmed that the physical properties of recycled nanofibers were significantly increased as a function of the inclusion concentrations, which may be because of their excellent properties. The consumption of polymeric products as well as their waste materials has dramatically grown worldwide. Although plastic recycling, reprocessing, and reusing rates are growing, the physical properties and economic value of recycled plastics are significantly low. Consequently, this work provides a detailed explanation of how to improve recycled plastics, making them into highly valued new nanoproducts for various industrial applications, including filtration, textile, transportation, construction, and energy.