Fabrication of SiO2covered ZrO2electrospun fibres with controllable structure and their novel high-performance composites with outstanding thermal, mechanical and dielectric properties

Abstract

New ceramic electrospun fibres, SiO2nano-particles covered ZrO2fibres (SiO2@ZrO2), are facilely fabricated, which have many hydroxyl groups on the surfaces, and their diameters and chemistries are controllable. Based on this, novel SiO2@ZrO2/cyanate ester composites with desirable interfacial adhesion were prepared, completely overcoming the drawback of ZrO2/cyanate ester composites; moreover, the SiO2@ZrO2/cyanate ester composites show much higher storage moduli and glass transition temperatures as well as lower dielectric constants and losses than ZrO2/cyanate ester composites. These interesting results originate from the double effects of the unique structure of SiO2@ZrO2fibres. Specifically, the active groups on the surfaces of SiO2@ZrO2fibres bring the chemical bonding with the matrix, while SiO2particles on the ZrO2fibres provide physical interlocking between the matrix and fibres. These attractive properties of SiO2@ZrO2/cyanate ester composites suggest that the method proposed herein is effective to prepare electrospun fibres with unique and controllable structure as well as high-performance ceramic/polymer composites.