Enhanced simulated solar sono-photocatalytic performance and antibacterial activities of ZnO/NiO heterojunction nanofibrous membranes

ZnO/NiO heterojunction nanofibrous membranes with different Zn/Ni molar ratios were successfully prepared via electrospinning. The microstructures of the nanofibers were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The ZnO/NiO heterojunction nanofibrous membranes showed superior photocatalytic performance on Congo red, particularly under ultrasonic action and simulated solar irradiation. The degradation of Congo red could reach 100% after 40 min with a high degradation constant of 0.064 min^?1. Additionally, the catalyst maintained high photocatalytic activity over five cycles. Furthermore, the heterojunction nanofibrous membranes had good antibacterial effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with an inhibition zone width of above 8 mm. The generation of superoxide free radical and hydroxyl free radicals played important roles for the heterojunction nanofibrous membranes. This work is significant for studying the potential applications of nanofibers in waste water remediation.     

High flux nanofibrous composite microfiltration membrane prepared by melt blending extrusion: Application in liquid filtration

High flux PP/EVOH nanofibrous composite microfiltration membrane (P/E‐NCMM) based on polypropylene (PP) (575 nm) and polyethylene‐co‐polyvinyl alcohol (EVOH) nanofibers (248 nm) with low operation pressure for liquid filtration was fabricated by melt blending extrusion. PP nanofibers as the scaffold played a supporting role, and EVOH nanofibers filled in the PP nanofibers network structure narrowed the pore size and improved the wettability. Taking advantages of PP and EVOH nanofibers, the nanofibrous composite membrane created fascinating features for liquid filtration. The experimental results showed that the P/E‐NCMM had high average pure water flux at low operating pressure. The P/E‐NCMM with 30 wt % PP nanofibers showed high water flux [450.9 L/(m² h)] even at very low feeding pressure (0.05 MPa) with above 95% retention for TiO₂ suspension. The results indicated that the P/E‐NCMM prepared by this method had great potential for the application in liquid filtration. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43585.     

Under‐Oil Superhydrophilic Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Silica Hybrid Nanofibrous Aerogel for Gravity‐Driven Separation of Surfactant‐Stabilized Water‐in‐Oil Emulsions

For efficient and green separation of surfactant‐stabilized water‐in‐oil (W/O) emulsions, under‐oil superhydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/silica hybrid nanofibrous aerogel is fabricated by freeze‐drying the dispersion of shortened PVA/tetraethyl orthosilicate composite electrospun nanofibers in t‐butanol, followed by heat‐treatment. Its hierarchical porous structure, observed by scanning electron microscope, consists of major and minor pores with an average diameter of 15.9 and 1.0 µm, respectively. The silica‐based crosslinking structure inside the nanofibers and the chemical linkage between them, evidenced by infrared spectroscopy, endows the nanofibrous aerogel with desirable stability in water and compression recoverability. When it is used for gravity‐driven separation of Span80 stabilized water‐in‐n‐hexane emulsion, the flux is 2083 L m^?2 h^?1 and the purity of the separated n‐hexane reaches 99.997%, corresponding to the separation efficiency of 99.79%. The nanofibrous aerogel after use is readily recycled by rinsing and freeze‐drying, without using any organic solvent, as it possesses under‐oil superhydrophilicity and prominent oil antifouling property. Differing from the previously reported separation materials, PVA/silica hybrid nanofibrous aerogel simultaneously acts as gravity‐driven filtration material and adsorption material to both absorb their coalesced water droplets and allow the separated oil to penetrate in the separation process.     

Thin-film nanofibrous composite membranes containing cellulose or chitin barrier layers fabricated by ionic liquids

The barrier layer of high-flux ultrafiltration (UF) thin-film nanofibrous composite (TFNC) membranes for purification of wastewater (e.g., bilge water) have been prepared by using cellulose, chitin, and a cellulose-chitin blend, regenerated from an ionic liquid. The structures and properties of regenerated cellulose, chitin, and a cellulose-chitin blend were analyzed with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The surface morphology, pore size and pore size distribution of TFNC membranes were determined by SEM images and molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) methods. An oil/water emulsion, a model of bilge water, was used as the feed solution, and the permeation flux and rejection ratio of the membranes were investigated. TFNC membranes based on the cellulose-chitin blend exhibited 10 times higher permeation flux when compared with a commercial UF membrane (PAN10, Sepro) with a similar rejection ratio after filtration over a time period of up to 100 h, implying the practical feasibility of such membranes for UF applications.     

Polydimethylsiloxane‐modified polyurethane–poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) nanofibrous membranes for waterproof,breathable applications

In this study, we prepared polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)‐modified polyurethane–poly(?‐caprolactone) nanofibrous membranes with excellent waterproof, breathable performances via an electrospinning technique. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical testing were used to characterize the morphologies and properties of the composite nanofibers. The fiber diameter and porous structure of the membranes were regulated by the adjustment of the temperatures of thermal treatment and the PDMS concentrations. The fibrous membranes obtained at a typical temperature of 70 °C possessed an optimized fibrous structure with a diameter of 514 ± 2 nm, a pore size of 0.55–0.65 µm, and a porosity of 77.7%. The resulting nanofibrous membranes modified with 5 wt % PDMS were endowed with good waterproof properties (water contact angle = 141 ± 1°, hydrostatic pressure = 73.6 kPa) and a high breathability (air permeability rate = 6.57 L m^?2 s^?1, water vapor transmission rate = 9.03 kg m^?2 day^?1). Meanwhile, the membranes exhibited robust mechanical properties with a high strength (breakage stress = 11.7 MPa) and excellent thermal stability. This suggests that they would be promising candidates for waterproof, breathable applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46360.     

Synthesis of polymeric electrospun nanofibers for application in waterproof‐breathable fabrics

This study focuses waterproof‐breathable fabric development by applying electrospun web of polyurethane (PU), PAN, and PES directly onto the substrate fabric. Advantages of textile fabrics of elastomeric nanofibrous membranes over gortex specimen are the mass production feasibility, high elastomeric properties, more body comfort parameters, and fabric production without holes and needle traces formation. In this work, we identified the PU nanofibrous membrane as the best and useful web for application in waterproof‐breathable fabrics. Air permeability, water vapor transport rate, and resistance to water penetration average value for the prepared PU fibers web (sample of S1) were about 10 ml/s, 430 g/m²/24 h, 15 cm H₂O. To improve waterproof‐breathable characteristics of the membrane, the effects of electrospinning parameters on the fibers morphology and waterproof‐breathable characteristics were investigated. PU concentration of 12% (w/w) and electrospinning voltage of 12 kV were identified as optimal conditions to reach uniform and fine PU nanofibers formation without any beads. Air permeability, water vapor transport rate, and resistance to water penetration average value for the final sample were recorded as about 2.5 ml/s, 840 g/m²/24 h, and 44 cm H₂O, correspondingly. POLYM. ENG. SCI. 56:143–149, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Properties of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel nanofibers crosslinked with 1,2,3,4‐butanetetracarboxylic acid

ABSTRACT: Electrospun nanofibrous hydrogel membranes have been gaining significant importance due to the combination of unique physical properties of nanofibers and biocompatibility of hydrogels. Thus, they are considered as potential candidates for medical textile applications. This study deals with electrospinning of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel nanofibrous membranes. The chemical crosslinking of PVA with proportionate quantities of 1,2,3,4 butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) was undertaken to form hydrogel structures. Cross‐linked membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, FT‐IR and thermogravimetric analysis, water swelling, and durability tests. FT‐IR analysis demonstrated the formation of ester linkages between PVA and BTCA and thermogravimetric analysis showed that crosslinking improved the thermal stability of the nanofibrous structure. Furthermore, the results indicated that crosslinking with BTCA improved water stability of PVA membranes and the nanofibrous structure was preserved after water treatment. It is envisaged that use of BTCA as a cross‐linker to form hydrogel nanofibers could be a practical and a promising method for medical textile applications, especially for wound dressings given its nontoxicity and immiscibility with polymer solutions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Preparation of electrospun magnetic polyvinyl butyral/Fe2O3 nanofibrous membranes for effective removal of iron ions from groundwater

Removing iron ions from groundwater to purify, it is a challenge faced by countries across the globe, which is why developing polymeric microfiltration membranes has garnered much attention. The authors of this study set out to develop nanofibrous membranes by embedding magnetic Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles (MNPs) into polyvinylbutyral (PVB) nanofibers via the electrospinning process. Investigation was made into the effects of the concentration of the PVB and MNPs on the morphology of the nanofibers, their magnetic properties, and capacity for filtration to remove iron ions. The fabrication and presence of well-incorporated MNPs in the PVB nanofibers were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Depending on the concentration of the MNPs, the membranes exhibited magnetization to the extent of 45.5 emu g⁻¹; hence, they exceeded the performance of related nanofibrous membranes in the literature. The magnetic membranes possessed significantly higher efficiency for filtration compared to their nonmagnetic analogues, revealing their potential for groundwater treatment applications.     

Breathable properties of m‐Aramid nanofibrous membrane with high thermal resistance

Electrospinning of m‐aramid in dimethyl acetamide/LiCl solution was investigated to develop thermo‐resistant nanofibrous membranes for breathable waterproof materials. The m‐aramid nanofibers were continuously generated and densely mounted to the membrane without the blockage of the spinning tip during electrospinning. In order to obtain the electrospun m‐aramid nanofibers with different fiber diameters, the polymer concentration in the solution and the spinning distance were varied. Electrospun m‐aramid nanofibrous membranes of various fiber diameters and thicknesses were prepared, and then compared with two commercial expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membranes with respect to water vapor permeability and pore size. The m‐aramid nanofibrous membrane showed a good water vapor permeability that satisfied the criterion of a breathable membrane, higher than those of the ePTFE porous membranes. Therefore, m‐aramid nanofibrous membrane with thermal and mechanical resistance has great potential for breathable waterproof materials and filters. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41515.     

Electrospun soy‐protein‐based nanofibrous membranes for effective antimicrobial air filtration

Soy proteins are gaining more and more attention because of its multifunction and biodegradability. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are introduced into the nanofibers to prevent growth of microorganisms over the filter media. In the present study, the multifunctional and antimicrobial nanofibrous membranes were prepared by electrospinning the soy protein isolate (SPI)/polymide‐6 (PA6)‐silver nitrate system followed by ultraviolet reduction. The morphology of SPI/PA6 nanofibrous membranes was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Antibacterial property of nanofibrous membranes were investigated against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The optimized fiber membrane exhibited over 95% filtration efficiency of PM_0.3 (particulate matter size less than 0.3 μm). The successful synthesis of SPI/PA6‐AgNPs nanofibrous membranes would make it to be the potential candidate for novel antibacterial and high‐performance air filter. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45766.     

Solvent-resistant polymeric microfiltration membranes based on oxidized electrospun poly(arylene sulfide sulfone) nanofibers

Polymeric membranes have been widely used in the separation of aqueous system, but there were few studies on the organic solvent-resistant microfiltration (MF) membranes. In this study, organic solvent-resistant oxidized poly(arylene sulfide sulfone)-6 (O-PASS-6) nanofibrous MF membrane with high water flux was prepared through electrospun technology, cold-press, and oxidation treatment. The O-PASS-6 nanofibrous MF membrane was made from the interwoven electrospun uniformly 295 nm nanofibers, and the mean pore size was 0.44 μm. The morphology, chemical structure, and aggregation structure of O-PASS-6 nanofibrous MF membrane were characterized systematically by the scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Investigations on the weight loss, swelling ratio, and microstructure change all revealed that the O-PASS-6 membrane had superior stability in strong polar solvents, such as 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone (DMI), dimethylformamide (DMF), and tetrahydrofuran (THF). MF performance results showed that the pure water flux of O-PASS-6 nanofibrous membrane was up to 753.34 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹, and the rejection ratio was 99.9% to 0.2 μm particles. More importantly, after treated by aggressive solvents, the membranes still possessed good MF performance: the water flux was 770.08, 775.66, and 766.36 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ when soaked in DMI, DMF, and THF for 7 days, respectively, and high rejection ratio also maintained (>99%) for both particles investigated. The O-PASS-6 membrane with good solvent resistance proved to be a promising candidate as a prefiltration membrane to eliminate submicron particles in both sewage and aggressive solvents. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48506.     

The Influence of Pre‐Electrospinning Plasma Treatment on Physicochemical Characteristics of PLA Nanofibers

Morphology, crystallinity, thermal, and mechanical properties of nanofibrous mats are known to highly affect the behavior of these materials in desired applications. In this study, multiple characteristics of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanofibrous mats prepared from plasma‐treated pre‐electrospinning solutions are studied as a function of various plasma operational parameters. X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile tests are performed. In addition, the pristine and plasma‐treated PLA solutions are examined with size exclusion chromatography to study the effect of the conducted pre‐electrospinning plasma treatments (PEPT) on the molecular weight of PLA. Aging analysis of the pristine and plasma‐treated solutions is also performed by evaluating the viscosity, conductivity, surface tension, and pH during an aging period of 10 days. To investigate if the results are only affected by the plasma treatment or also affected by the electrospinning, pristine and plasma‐treated PLA cast layers are also analyzed. The results reveal that PEPT preserved the surface chemical composition of the nanofibers and the molecular weight distribution of PLA, while morphology and mechanical properties of the nanofibers are considerably enhanced. Moreover, plasma‐treated polymer solutions resulted in the formation of nicely elongated nanofibers up to 4 days after plasma treatment.     

Enhanced mechanical properties of amorphous SiOC nanofibrous membrane through in situ embedding nanoparticles

Flexible ceramic nanofibers are highly desired due to their potential applications in free‐standing catalyst supports, fine particulate filters and flexible electronic devices. In this work, robust SiOC fibrous membranes composed of randomly oriented nanofibers with an average diameter of 550 nm were fabricated by a combination of electrospinning and post heat‐treatment process. The mechanical properties of the as‐prepared membranes were enhanced significantly through in situ embedding of palladium nanoparticles into the SiOC fibers. The optimized palladium‐doped SiOC fibrous membrane demonstrated a low flexural modulus of 7.79 kPa and a high tensile strength of 33.2 MPa. Reduced flaw size, initiation of nanocracks and pinning effect were proposed to explain the enhancement mechanism. Furthermore, the flexible SiOC membrane with excellent corrosion resistance exhibits a high filtration efficiency of 99.6% when the membrane weight is 4.8 g m^?2, suggesting efficient filtration applications in harsh environments. This work also provides a feasible strategy for the design and fabrication of the flexible amorphous ceramic fiber membranes for various applications.     

Cellulose acetate ultrafiltration membranes reinforced by cellulose nanocrystals: Preparation and characterization

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were used as a sustainable additive to improve the hydrophilicity, permeability, antifouling, and mechanical properties of blend membranes. Different CNC loadings (0–1.2 wt %) in cellulose acetate (CA) membranes were studied. The blend membranes were prepared by a phase‐inversion process, and their chemical structure and morphological properties were characterized by attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, porosity, and mean pore size and contact angle measurement. The blend membranes became more porous and more interconnected after the addition of CNCs. The thickness of the top layer decreased and a few large holes in the porous substrate appeared with increasing CNC loading. In comparison with the pure CA membranes, the pure water flux of the blend membranes increased with increasing CNC loading. It reaches a maximum value of 76 L m^?2 h^?1 when the CNC loading was 0.5 wt %. The antifouling properties of the CA membrane were significantly improved after the addition of CNCs, and the flux recovery ratio value increased to 68% with the addition of 0.5 wt % CNCs. In comparison with that of the pure CA membranes, the tensile strength of the composite membranes increased by 47%. This study demonstrated the importance of using sustainable CNCs to achieve great improvements in the physical and chemical performance of CA ultrafiltration membranes and provided an efficient method for preparing high‐performance membranes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43946.     

Preparation,characterization, and antibacterial properties of silver nanoparticles embedded into cellulose aerogels

In this article, highly loaded silver (Ag) nanoparticles with mean diameter of about 7.83 nm were synthesized by reducing Ag ions by NaBH₄ with strong reducibility, and homogeneously embedded into cellulose aerogels without obvious reunion. The as‐prepared nano‐Ag/cellulose (NAC) aerogels maintained nanoporous and multiscale morphology similar to the pure cellulose aerogels, and showed strong antibacterial activities for both Escherichia coli (Gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive). Meanwhile, after the incorporation of Ag nanoparticles, NAC aerogels also displayed more superior thermal stability. Thus, the novel NAC aerogels might be expected to be used as various biomedical applications, especially green heat‐resistant high‐performance antibacterial materials. POLYM. COMPOS. 37:1137–1142, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Thiol-modified cellulose nanofibrous composite membranes for chromium (VI) and lead (II) adsorption

Oxidized cellulose nanofibers (CNF), embedded in an electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous scaffold, were grafted with cysteine to increase the adsorption capability for chromium (VI) and lead (II). Thiol-modified cellulose nanofibers (m-CNF) were characterized by titration, FT-IR, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and SEM techniques. Static and dynamic Cr(VI) and Pb(II) adsorption studies of m-CNF nanofibrous composite membranes were carried out as a function of pH and of contact time. The results indicated these membranes exhibited high adsorption capacities for both Cr(VI) (87.5 mg/g) and Pb(II) (137.7 mg/g) due to the large surface area and high concentration of thiol groups (0.9 mmol of –SH/gram m-CNF). The morphology and property of m-CNF nanofibrous composite membranes was found to be stable, and they could be used and regenerated multiple times with high recovery efficiency.     

Co‐electrospun nanofibers of PVA‐SbQ and Zein for wound healing

In this study, electrospun biocompatible nanofibers with random orientation were prepared by physically blending poly(vinyl alcohol)‐stilbazol quaternized (PVA‐SbQ) with zein in acetic acid solution for wound healing. PVA‐SbQ was used as the foundation polymer as well as crosslinking agent, blended with zein to achieve desirable properties such as improved tensile strength, surface wettability, and in vitro degradable properties. Moreover, vaccarin drug was incorporated in situ into electrospun nanofibrous membranes for cell viability and cell attachment. The addition of vaccarin showed great effects on the morphology of nanofiber and enhanced cell viability and proliferation in comparison with composite nanofibers without drug. The presence of PVA‐SbQ, zein, and vaccarin drug in the nanofibrous membranes exhibited good compatibility, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility and created a moist environment to have potential application for wound healing. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42565.     

Synthesis of pH‐responsive crosslinked poly[styrene‐co‐(maleic sodium anhydride)] and cellulose composite hydrogel nanofibers by electrospinning

BACKGROUND: Stimuli‐sensitive materials show enormous potential in the development of drug delivery systems. But the low response rate of most stimuli‐sensitive materials limits their wider application. We propose that electrospinning, a technique for the preparation of ultrafine fibrous materials with ultrafine diameters, may be used to prepare materials with a fast response to stimuli. RESULTS: Poly[styrene‐co‐(maleic sodium anhydride)] and cellulose (SMA‐Na/cellulose) hydrogel nanofibers were prepared through hydrolysis of precursor electrospun poly[styrene‐co‐(maleic anhydride)]/cellulose acetate (SMA/CA) nanofibers. In the presence of diethylene glycol, the SMA/CA composite nanofibers were crosslinked by esterification at 145 °C, and then hydrolyzed to yield crosslinked SMA‐Na/cellulose hydrogel nanofibers. These nanofibers showed better mechanical strengths and were pH responsive. Their water swelling ratio showed a characteristic two‐step increase at pH = 5.0 and 8.2, with the water swelling ratio reaching a maximum of 27.6 g g^?1 at pH = 9.1. CONCLUSION: The crosslinked SMA‐Na hydrogel nanofibers supported on cellulose showed improved dimensional stability upon immersion in aqueous solutions. They were pH responsive. This new type of hydrogel nanofiber is a potential material for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Preparation and characterization of electrospun poly(ε‐caprolactone)–pluronic–poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐based polyurethane nanofibers

In this study, amphiphilic poly(ε‐caprolactone)–pluronic–poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL–pluronic–PCL, PCFC) copolymers were synthesized by ring‐opening copolymerization and then reacted with isophorone diisocyanate to form polyurethane (PU) copolymers. The molecular weight of the PU copolymers was measured by gel permeation chromatography, and the chemical structure was analyzed by ¹H‐nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectra. Then, the PU copolymers were processed into fibrous scaffolds by the electrospinning technology. The morphology, surface wettability, mechanical strength, and cytotoxicity of the obtained PU fibrous mats were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, water contact angle analysis, tensile test, and MTT analysis. The results show that the molecular weights of PCFC and PU copolymers significantly affected the physicochemical properties of electrospun PU nanofibers. Moreover, their good in vitro biocompatibility showed that the as‐prepared PU nanofibers have great potential for applications in tissue engineering. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43643.     

Preparations,properties, and formation mechanism of novel cellulose hydrogel membrane based on ionic liquid

Cellulose hydrogel membranes were successfully produced by casting the cellulose/1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride (BmimCl) solution into assembling molds, and then coagulated in water. The morphological features and mechanical properties of the prepared hydrogel membranes were characterized by a series of techniques including X‐ray diffraction measurements, scanning electron microscopy measurements, UV–visible light absorption spectrum, and tensile testing. The formation mechanism and the effects of different pre‐gelation temperature, pre‐gelation time, and coagulation batch temperature on the morphology and property of prepared cellulose hydrogel membranes were explored. The result shows that the hydrogel membrane of cellulose with excellent performance can be prepared adopting novel ionic liquid (BmimCl) as solvent through suitable process; the prepared hydrogel membranes present good mechanical properties and excellent transparency. In addition, the model of the hydrogel formation is established. It is believed that this is a promising material in the application of biomedical engineering and medical material. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45488.