Antistatic Properties Research Articles

Homogeneous wet-spinning construction of skin-core structured PANI/cellulose conductive fibers for gas sensing and e-textile applications

Fiber-based wearable electronic textiles have broad applications, but non-degradable substrates may contribute to electronic waste. The application of cellulose-based composite fibers as e-textiles is hindered by the lack of fast and effective preparation methods. Here, we fabricated polyaniline (PANI)/cellulose fibers (PC) with a unique skin-core structure through a wet-spinning homogeneous blended system. The conductive network formation was enabled at a mere 1 wt% PANI. Notably, PC15 (15 wt% PANI) shows higher electrical conductivity of 21.50 mS cm−1. Further, PC15 exhibits excellent ammonia sensing performance with a sensitivity of 2.49 %/ppm and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.6 ppm. Cellulose-based composite fibers in this work demonstrate good gas sensing and anti-static properties as potential devices for smart e-textiles.

Fabrication of Permanent Antistatic PMMA Copolymer for Enhanced Antistatic and Mechanical Properties

Fabrication of Permanent Antistatic PMMA Copolymer for Enhanced Antistatic and Mechanical Properties

Preparation of paraffin wax-modified floating aluminum powder and composite coating with infrared stealth and wave-transparent function

Low Infrared (IR) emissivity coatings in military aerospace need to meet both stealth and radar transmission. At present, there are few research on this aspect, therefore how to solve the compatibility problem of low infrared emissivity and high radar wave transmission rate of materials is an important direction for the development of infrared stealth materials. A multi-functional composite coating with low IR emissivity, dielectric loss, and antistatic properties was prepared using modified floating aluminum powder (Al@PW), short-cut carbon fiber, and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) as the binder. The coating's properties were investigated, highlighting the effect of PW. The results indicate that modifying floating Al powder with PW is an effective solution to the trade-off between low IR emissivity and high wave transparency. At a dosage of 11 g (about 12.5 wt% in Al@PW), the coating demonstrated the best overall performance, including the IR emissivity of 0.582, the surface resistivity of 9.5 MΩ/□, the dielectric constant of 5.15, the dielectric loss angle tangent of 0.052, the tensile strength of 11.75 MPa, and the elongation at break of 516.10%. The composite coating may be used as a multi-functional protective coating for airborne radomes.

Lightweight Antistatic Thermoplastic Elastomer Blend Foam: The Foaming Behavior and Mechanical Properties

A thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) has been widely used because of its excellent impact resistance and resilience, but its melt viscosity is too low to be used in the supercritical foaming. In addition, TPEE easily generates static electricity accumulation during processing, which has a risk of fire. Herein, a thermoplastic polyamide elastomer (PEBAX) with permanent antistatic properties was blended with TPEE, and triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) was used as a chain extender to improve the compatibility and melt strength of the blends. Then, the TPEE/PEBAX blends were foamed by supercritical N2, and the cell structure and mechanical and antistatic properties of the blend foam were analyzed at a density of 0.1 ± 0.001 g/cm3. The results showed that when the blending ratio of TPEE/PEBAX was 70/30, the blend foam with a uniform cell structure had the most excellent mechanical properties. The resilience and elongation at break reached 83 and 850.3%, respectively. In addition, the surface resistivity and volume resistivity were 3.21 × 109 Ω and 7.35 × 109 Ω·cm, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of the IEC 61340 standard.

Effects of ambient humidity and sintering temperature on the tribological and antistatic properties of PEEK and CF/PEEK

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is one of the representatives of special engineering plastics. Due to the high molding temperature, the molding method of ordinary plastics and cavity abrasives are difficult to meet the requirements. In view of this, pure PEEK was prepared by vacuum hot pressing sintering technology at different sintering temperatures. The mechanical properties and microstructure characterization results showed that the pure PEEK prepared at 350 °C showed excellent friction and wear properties. Then PEEK and CF/PEEK composites were prepared at the optimum sintering temperature. The friction experiments of prepared materials were carried out using UMT-2. The effects of ambient humidity on the tribological properties, wear mechanism and antistatic properties of prepared materials were systematically studied. The surface analysis and properties of the materials were measured by 3D profiler, scanning electron microscope, friction electrostatic tester. The results showed that friction coefficient of PEEK and CF/PEEK composite changed slightly with increase of ambient humidity. The wear rate of PEEK decreased firstly and then increases, which reached the lowest of 3.09 × 10−5 mm3/Nm when the ambient humidity was 40%. The wear rate of CF/PEEK composite changed slightly, which was significantly lower than that of PEEK, and the main wear mechanism was adhesive wear. The surface friction static electricity of PEEK and CF/PEEK composites decreased with the increase of humidity.

Molecular Design of Lignin-Derived Side-Chain Phenolic Polymers toward Functional Radical Scavenging Materials with Antioxidant and Antistatic Properties.

This article reports a new family of functional side-chain phenolic polymers derived from lignin monomers, displaying a combination of properties that are usually mutually exclusive within a single material. This includes a well-defined molecular structure, transparency, antioxidant activity, and antistatic properties. Our design strategy is based on the lignin-derived bioaromatic monomer dihydroconiferyl alcohol (DCA), a promising and yet largely unexplored asymmetrical diol bearing one aliphatic and one phenolic hydroxyl group. A lipase-catalyzed (meth)acrylation protocol was developed to selectively functionalize the aliphatic hydroxy group of DCA while preserving its phenolic group responsible for its radical scavenging properties. The resulting mono-(meth)acrylated monomers were then directly copolymerized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization without any protection of the phenolic side chains. Kinetics studies revealed that, under select conditions, these unprotected phenolic groups surprisingly did not inhibit the radical polymerization and lead to polymers with defined molar masses, low dispersities, and block copolymers. Finally, applications of these new radical scavenging polymers were demonstrated using an antioxidant assay and antistatic experiments. This research opens the door to the direct incorporation of natural antioxidants within the synthetic polymer backbones, increasing the biobased content and limiting the leaching of potentially harmful additives.

Preparation of PLA-based SMS nonwoven composites and its applications in protective apparel

The global COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a huge demand for the protective nonwovens. However, the main raw material of nonwovens comes from petroleum, and the massive consumption of petroleum-based polymers brings great pressure to ecosystem. Therefore, it is significant to develop biodegradable protective barrier products. In this work, a polylactic-based composite (a tri-layer nonwovens composed of spunbond, meltblown and spunbond, SMS) was prepared and applied for protective apparel. The surface morphology and chemical changes of the fibers were characterized and analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The liquid contact angle and permeability, breathability and moisture permeability, frictional charge and mechanical strength of the samples were evaluated and compared. The samples degradability was also recorded. The results demonstrate that the optimum formula for anti-fouling treatment on SMS is F-30. The treated fabric possesses superior liquid repellency and anti-permeability, with contact angles of water and alcohol at 128° and 115° respectively, while the alcohol repellent grade reaches level 7. The treated sample has less strength loss but exhibits favorable breathability, moisture permeability and anti-static properties, which can meet the requirements of protective apparels. After fluorine resin coating, the composite still provide excellent degradation performance, and the weight loss rate reaches more than 80% after 10 days water degradation. These results provide new insights for the application of PLA-based SMS in biodegradable protective apparel.

Nanoscale chemical heterogeneity enables the co-existence of opposing superhydrophobic and hygroscopic properties

Superhydrophobicity and hygroscopicity are two properties that are theoretically exclusive to each other. The fabrication of functional fabrics with these two properties remains very challenging. In this work, it is demonstrated that a non-sticky superhydrophobic and hygroscopic fabric coating can be prepared via the photo polymerization of hexadecyl acrylate and methacrylic acid. On coating surface, the phase-separation-induced chemical heterogeneity has a unique feature of possessing elevated continuous hydrophobic domain and depressed hydrophilic domain, as evidenced by atomic force microscopy measurement. The elevation of hydrophobic domain (i.e., depression of hydrophilic domain) allows the hydrophilic domain to make negligible contribution to the surface wettability to water drop, but can absorb water molecules, thus inducing the unique superhydrophobic but hygroscopic property. The coating has a very low total surface energy of 22.61 mN m−1, with its polar part (0.01 mN m−1) being negligible, thereby showing a high static water contact angle of ~112° on flat glass slide. The coated polyester fabric shows a non-sticky superhydrophobicity with a static water contact angle of ~151° and a water shedding angle of ~10°, as well as good hygroscopic and anti-static properties. We anticipate that this novel coating and the reported strategy of generating the particular chemical heterogeneity may lead to the development of advanced special wettability coatings for various applications.

Integral Assessment of Antistatic Properties of Materials Used in Individual Safety Gear

The buildup of static electricity on materials is a big problem for many industrial sectors especially in situations when uncontrolled changes occur near flammable materials and liquids. Yet the combustion risks associated with static electricity, as well as the sources of fires and explosions can be controlled through the provision of proper electrostatic protection to the entire production process. Antistatic footwear is one of the elements of safety gear that protects people from static electricity at the workplace. There are three types of antistatic footwear: antistatic conductive shoes with the electric impedance of <1•105 Ohms, antistatic scattering shoes with the electric impedance of 1•105-1•108 Ohms; and antistatic insulating shoes with the electric impedance of >1•108 Ohms. The properties of antistatic shoes directly depend on the materials that they are made of. Thus, it is necessary to study the antistatic properties of materials to design antistatic footwear. This article aims to identify the relaxation time constant for the electric charges on the exterior, interior, and intermediate layers of shoe top materials using the integral method. The authors demonstrate that the relaxation time constant of shoe materials can vary between 4 and 40 seconds. The measured values help rationalize the selection of materials to produce antistatic footwear, the materials that can carry the charge into the ground and prevent its accumulation.

Design of super-toughened, heat-resistant and antistatic polyethylene terephthalate-based blend composites by constructing a tenacious interface

It's a great challenge to achieve the synchronous enhancement of the fracture toughness and strength via designing the microstructures of blend composites. Herein, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were incorporated into polyethylene terephthalate/ethylene butyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (PET/PTW) blend. Effects of MWCNTs on the mechanical properties, phase morphology, crystallization behaviors, heat resistance and antistatic property of the blend were investigated. It is found that MWCNTs are selectively located at the two-phase interface of the blend and induce epitaxial crystallization of PET matrix, which better strengthens the interfacial adhesion of blend composites. Tenacious interface endows blend composites with superior fracture toughness and strength. The impact strength and tensile strength of the blend composite only containing 0.5 wt% MWCNTs are as high as 72.3 kJ/m2 (without fracture) and 38.9 MPa, respectively. The toughening mechanisms are attributed to the role of MWCNTs in compatibilizing, stress transferring and hindering the rapid propagation of cracks at the interface of the blend. Moreover, MWCNTs endow the blend composites with outstanding heat resistance and antistatic property, which enlarges the application fields of PET. This work offers a dexterous and effective blueprint for manufacturing of high mechanical performances PET-based blend composites.

Robust and functional polyamide 11 tubular product featuring helical flow-regulated interpenetrating configuration of carbon nanofiber

Miniaturized functional tubular product (MFTP) as a pivotal block of the potable smart devices has been widely applied in advanced industries, however, conventionally-extruded tube often suffers from easy detachment of head-to-end contracting points and weak mechanical reliability along normal direction. Herein, we proposed a facile strategy to prepare polyamide 11 tubular product with a helically-interpenetrating network by manipulating reversed helical flow in rotation extrusion. Compared to the axially-align configuration in conventionally-extruded tube featuring unidirectional reinforcement and easy-disconnecting head-to-end configuration, the helically-interpenetrating CNF network shared similar characteristic to the tracheid-like helical structure existing in wood, providing the composite tube with robust mechanical properties in all directions, but also boosting the initial conductivity and electrical stability under mechanical deformation. With the benefits of outstanding capabilities of robust performance and excellent conductive property, the as-prepared tubular product can be endowed with some special functions including excellent antistatic and electrothermal properties, guaranteeing the safe application in low temperature, vibration environment as a hydraulic brake tube. The helically flow-driven melt-processing was featured with low cost, high efficiency and suitable for continuous industrial fabrication, opening up a facile and effective strategy to prepare excellent MFTP with the hollow and thin wall.

Functional performance of thin Ag, SS, and Ti films on retro-reflective fabrics

Retro-reflective materials are gradually increasing in popularity and use due to their safety properties, and aesthetic advantages. This study details an experimental procedure of the functional performance of silver (Ag), stainless steel (SS), and titanium (Ti) coatings of 150 nm in thickness on retro-reflective fabrics (with plain, twill and diamond weave structures) via magnetron sputtering. The deposited thin films were characterised using CIE L* a* b* values, SEM, contact angle, air permeability, thermal conductivity, anti-static, IR and UV protection. The results reveal that Ag coated fabric can transfer away body heat, hence ensuring a feeling of coolness. The Ag coated fabric samples have an overall good infrared (IR) protective property followed by SS, with Ti having a poor IR protective performance. All of the coated fabrics show excellent ultraviolet protection with 50+ UPF ratings. Furthermore, the coated fabrics have good anti-static properties which prevent the build-up of static charge that can cause discomfort to the wearer, especially in dry weather conditions. The deposition of Ag, SS or Ti nanoparticles on the surface of the fabric increases the hydrophobicity of the material or results in a fabric with low wettability as evident from the measured contact angles.

Preparation of carrageenan/konjac glucomannan/graphene oxide nanocomposite films with high mechanical and antistatic properties for food packaging

Preparation of carrageenan/konjac glucomannan/graphene oxide nanocomposite films with high mechanical and antistatic properties for food packaging

Graphene nanoplatelet/cellulose acetate film with enhanced antistatic, thermal dissipative and mechanical properties for packaging.

With the increased concern over environment protection, cellulose acetate (CA) has drawn great interests as an alternative for packaging material due to its biodegradability and abundant resources; whereas, the poor antistatic property and thermal conductivity restrict its application in packaging. In this work, we proposed a simple but effective strategy to produce high performance graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)/CA composite films via the consecutive homogenization and solvent casting processes. Relying on the spontaneous absorption of CA during homogenization, the GNP/CA produced shows an excellent dispersibility in the N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) solution and many fewer structural defects compared with GNPs alone. As a result, the composite films obtained exhibit simultaneously and significantly enhanced antistatic, heat dissipative and mechanical properties compared with CA. Specifically, the GNP/CA composite with the optimal formula has promising overall performances (namely, surface resistivity of 3.33 × 107Ω/sq, in-plane thermal conductivity of 5.359 , out-of-plane thermal conductivity of 0.785 , and tensile strength of 37.1MPa). Featured by its promising overall properties, simple production processes and biodegradability, the as-prepared GNP/CA composite film shows a great potential for application in packaging. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10570-023-05155-2.

Preparation of polyvinylidene fluoride coating modified by well-dispersed MEA-ATO@HNTs and its photocatalytic, antistatic and thermal insulation properties

In this study, Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) fixed and loaded on one-dimensional halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were fabricated using the co-precipitation method to improve photocatalytic efficiency and dispersion of ATO. After that well dispersed ATO@HNTs nanofiller (AH) modified by monoethanolamine (mAH) was also embedded in the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) coating by solution blend to further broaden the application fields. The results showed the introduction of HNTs accelerates electron transfer and promotes the decomposition of rhodamine B (Rh B). More significantly, with the effect of the well-dispersed mAH nanofillers, PVDF coating containing 15% mAH degraded more than 90% of Rh B under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for 2 h, which was 1.2 times higher than that of PVDF coating. In addition, the PVDF/mAH-15% coating exhibits excellent antistatic stability under the harsh conditions of photoaging and thermal aging. Moreover, by comparing temperature differences, the thermal insulation performance of PVDF/mAH-15 coating with 70.24% visible light transmittance is significantly improved by reducing heat conduction and radiation at the same time.

Construction and Performance Evaluation of Functional Coating with Multi-Layered Structure on the Surface of Cashmere Fibers Based on Dispersed Graphene by Cationic Waterborne Polyurethane

ABSTRACT In order to revise the problem of inferior hand-feeling of cashmere textile anti-filling finished with “addition” or “subtraction-addition” technology and indicate the effects of graphene distributed state in the surface on antistatic properties of cashmere fibers, A couple of flexible hydrophilic cationic polyurethanes used as a dispersion medium for graphene purposefully are designed and prepared. In addition, the state of polymer coating and graphene on the fiber is effectively controlled by foam micro-coating technology. The admirable pilling resistance, static resistance, and hand-feeling of cashmere textile attributed to two-layer polyurethane membranes realized through “bottom coating (BC)” and “surface coating (SC)” are definite and reliable. The results show that the cashmere textile obtained 1.0% (o.m.f. on mass of fabric) weight gain rate (WGR) under the foam bottom coating process, correspondingly, obtained 3–4% (o.m.f.) weight gain rate (WGR) under traditional dipping process, the pilling resistance grade of cashmere textile is improved to Grade 4–5 from Grade 1–2. The semi-embed state of graphene in the “surface coating” resin film on cashmere surface results in the decrease of static voltage half-life from 180 s to about 2 s. Clearly, the foam microcoating technology scheme of “BC+ SC@graphene” has achieved good expected results.

Core–shell carbon nanotubes/cobalt copper hydroxide hybrid/silicone rubber composite: flame retardancy and antistatic properties

Core–shell carbon nanotubes/cobalt copper hydroxide hybrid/silicone rubber composite: flame retardancy and antistatic properties

Environmental benign foam finishing with a hyperbranched polyphosphonate flame retardant for polyethylene terephthalate fabric

It is still a big challenge for textile industry in improving fire resistance and reducing melt dripping with minimal loss on the physical properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics. In this work, a highly-effective hyperbranched flame retardant (DT) was first synthesized by ester exchange without using any organic solvent. Then, the DT foam was prepared and blade coated on PET fabric to improve the fire performance. The prepared PET fabric with only 2.7% weight gain of DT was self-extinguished and did not produce any molten dripping during the vertical flammable test. The peak heat release rate and total heat release of the PET fabric sample with 19.4% DT were decreased by 42.0% and 57.1%, respectively compared with that of the control PET. Besides, the as-prepared PET fabric sample showed better physical properties such as breaking strength, vapor permeability, air permeability, antistatic property, and softness than the control PET fabric sample. The DT foam finishing process did not involve any organic solvent and consumed less water and energy compared with conventional fabric treatments. It is expected that this work provides a facile and eco-friendly strategy for fabricating flame retardant PET fabric with excellent comprehensive performances.

Research progress of antistatic‐reinforced polymer materials: A review

AbstractPolymer materials have been widely used in modern industries duo to their characteristics such as lightweight, low price, and corrosion resistance. However, the inherent insulation of polymer materials can cause static electricity, which has become one of the major problems that has limited their application. Meanwhile, as the basis for ensuring the service field and life of the polymer materials, mechanical properties can affect the comprehensive properties of the polymer materials. Therefore, research on the preparation of composite materials with both antistatic properties and good mechanical properties with antistatic‐reinforced modification has attracted extensive attention and achieved important progress. Based on the principle of electrostatic electrification of antistatic‐reinforced modification, antistatic mechanisms and main preparation strategies, this paper summarized the research achievements of the antistatic‐reinforced polymer materials in recent years. Additionally, some factors that have affected their antistatic properties were presented, and the development trends of the antistatic‐reinforced polymer materials based on the deficiencies of current research were proposed.

Improvement of flame-retardant and antistatic property of wood using a spray-assisted layer-by-layer self-assembly technique

ABSTRACT Wood has the characteristics of shrinkage and swelling, flammability, and insulation, which can lead to poor user experience and accidents during its application in wood structure buildings and wood products. In this study, multifunctional chitosan/sodium phytate/TiO2-CuO nanoparticle composite coatings were sprayed on a wood surface through spray-assisted layer-by-layer (SP-LBL) self-assembly. By designing different spraying distances and other process parameters combined with a surface resistance test, thermogravimetric analysis, and combustion test, the antistatic and flame-retardant properties of modified wood were investigated. Antistatic property test results confirmed a positive effect between TiO2 and CuO nanoparticles on discharging electrostatic charge. Moreover, the surface resistance value of the wood remained unchanged after 15 days of spraying treatment. Additionally, the antistatic stability of the composite coatings was more effective in the short-term application. However, long-term stability needs to be observed. The results of thermogravimetric analysis and combustion test confirmed that chitosan, sodium phytate, and TiO2-CuO nanoparticles synergically improved the flame retardant of wood.