Nonwoven Research Articles

One-pot preparation of one-dimensional hierarchically porous carbon@SnO2 nanocomposites for flexible fabric-based supercapacitor electrodes

The design of functional energy storage materials with superior performances has become the focus topic with the growing energy crisis in recent years. Herein, porous carbon nanofibers@tin dioxide (PCNFs@SnO2) composites are prepared by one-pot electrospinning and followed by carbonization. The PCNFs@SnO2 possesses a hierarchically porous structure containing mesopores and micropores. The specific surface area is as high as ∼ 559.4 m2 g−1, and the total pore volume can reach 0.28 cm3 g−1. Meanwhile, the nonwoven fabric surface is coated with a silver layer through the screen printing technique to obtain silver-coated nonwoven fabric (SNF). Importantly, PCNFs@SnO2 and SNF are combined to obtain flexible fabric-based functional materials. As a primary energy application, the prepared PCNFs@SnO2/SNF electrode has a high mass specific capacitance of 583.1 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, a high area specific capacitance of 933 mF cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2, and a good rate capability (70 % at 10 A g−1). The supercapacitor device with two PCNFs@SnO2/SNF electrodes also shows outstanding cycling durability, capacitor retention is as high as ∼ 91.52 %, after 10000 charging/discharging cycles. In brief, our study may provide an innovative route for designing hierarchically porous one-dimensional carbon nanocomposites for supercapacitors with high performances.

Development of jute-polyethylene nonwoven fabric for sustainable packaging application

ABSTRACT Environmental concerns promote demand for biodegradable packaging on a global scale. Jute fiber packaging could be a viable and sustainable alternative to pure synthetic materials. In this study, sustainable antimicrobial jute-polyethylene nonwoven fabric is developed by the heat press of jute web and polyethylene pellets. The performance of the developed samples was evaluated by analyzing their morphological, mechanical, thermal, moisture management, and antibacterial properties. SEM confirmed the homogeneous interfacial adhesion between jute-polyethylene. FTIR spectra proved the existence of jute, polyethylene, and peppermint oil in the developed samples. Mechanical property was investigated using a universal strength tester while tensile strength and elongation (%) were sufficient. The low thermal conductivities were observed in the samples. The moisture management tester confirmed the unavailability of the moisture in the inner surface from the outer surface. Furthermore, the samples exhibited significant antibacterial properties because of the application of peppermint essential oil.

Cobalt ferrite-embedded polyvinylidene fluoride electrospun nanocomposites as flexible triboelectric sensors for healthcare and polysomnographic monitoring applications

Human respiration is a vital physiological function of the body and a key metric for assessing overall health, particularly in conditions related to sleep deprivation. However, developing a real-time system for detecting sleeping position, heartbeat, and respiration is challenging yet crucial. Such a system should be easy to fabricate, comfortable to wear, and highly sensitive. In this study, we fabricated a flexible electrospun cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4, CF) embedded polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite (NC) using an electrospinning technique. Additionally, we investigated the influence of varying CF content (0, 1, 3, and 5 wt%) on the crystalline β-phase in PVDF. The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) device was fabricated using PVDF-CF (P-CF) NC as the tribo-negative layer and non-woven fabric of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as the tribo-positive layer. Among the four sample combinations used in this study, P-CF-3 (3 wt% CF in PVDF)/TPU TENG exhibited a significantly higher triboelectric open circuit voltage (Voc) of 5.8 V, nearly three times higher as compared to P-CF-0/TPU TENG (1.7 V). This work demonstrates an efficient method for enhancing the output efficacy of flexible TENG devices by varying the nanofiller concentration. Moreover, the fabricated TENG device was efficiently tested for real-time healthcare monitoring (HCM) and polysomnographic (PSG) related studies. This study aspires to provide a novel and pragmatic way of identifying real-time sleeping disorders and respiratory monitoring.

"Synthesis of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles on Polyester Non-Woven Fabric Using Green Chemistry Method for Wastewater Treatment in the Textile Dyeing Industry"

"Synthesis of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles on Polyester Non-Woven Fabric Using Green Chemistry Method for Wastewater Treatment in the Textile Dyeing Industry"

High-Stability Composite Solid Polymer Electrolyte Composed of PAEPU/PP Nonwoven Fabric for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Solid polymer electrolytes have attracted considerable attention, owing to their flexibility and safety. At present, poly(ethylene oxide) is the most widely studied polymer electrolyte matrix. It exhibits higher safety than the polyolefin diaphragm used in traditional lithium-ion batteries. However, it readily crystallizes at room temperature, resulting in low ionic conductivity, and the preparation process involves organic solvents. In this study, from the perspective of molecular design, solvent-free polyaspartate polyurea (PAEPU) and the cheap and easily available polypropylene (PP) nonwoven fabric were used as support materials for the PAEPU/PP composite solid polymer electrolyte (PAEPU/PP m -CPE). This CPE has good thermal stability, dimensional stability, flexibility, and mechanical properties. Among the different CPEs that were analyzed, PAEPU/PP10-CPE@20 had the highest ionic conductivity, which was reinforced with 10 g/m2 PP nonwoven fabric and the content of lithium salt was 20 wt %. Furthermore, PAEPU/PP10-CPE@20 exhibited the highest electrochemical stability with an electrochemical window value of 5.53 V. Moreover, the capacity retention rate of the Li//PAEPU/PP10-CPE@20//LiFePO4 half-cell was 96.82% after 150 cycles at 0.05 C and 60 °C, and the capacity recovery rate in the rate test reached 98.81%.

Preparation of composite micro-nanofibers based on nano-sized magnetite by electrospinning

Composite materials with magnetic fillers play an important role in a number of industries, from functional coatings in electronics to electromagnetic wave absorption and microwave-shielding materials. An important feature is the selection of a magnetic nano-sized filler that does not cause increased degradation of the polymer binder, and the selection of a polymer that ensures the weather resistance of the nanocomposite material. In this study, composite samples of micro- and nanofibers based on fabricated particles of nanosized magnetite (Fe3O4) as a cheap electromagnetic wave absorption material were investigated. Magnetic polymer-dielectric fibers polystyrene-Fe3O4 were obtained by electrospinning. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the synthesized Fe3O4 nanoparticles have a cubic space group structure Fd3m with crystal lattice parameter a = 8.422±0.026 Å. The analysis of the ferromagnetic resonance spectrum showed the ferromagnetic nature of the obtained magnetite nanoparticles. It has been shown that during the production of composite fibers by electrospinning, a dispersion of nano-sized magnetite powder can be included in the spinning solution, which, as a result of the electrospinning process, allows obtaining magnetic composite micro- and nanofibers. The average size of the included magnetite particles was15±3 nm. The resulting non-woven magnetic material is predominantly composed of two types of fibers with an average diameter of 680±280 nm and larger associated fibers with a diameter of 1500±300 nm. Based on a certain frequency ependence of losses upon reflection RL in the frequency range 15 MHz – 7.0 GHz, the synthesized fibrous material can be considered to be an effective electromagnetic wave absorption material.

Microfiber/Nanofiber/Attapulgite Multilayer Separator with a Pore-Size Gradient for High-Performance and Safe Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have an extremely diverse application nowadays as an environmentally friendly and renewable new energy storage technology. The porous structure of the separator, one essential component of LIBs, provides an ion transport channel for the migration of ions and directly affects the overall performance of the battery. In this work, we fabricated a composite separator (GOP-PH-ATP) via simply laminating an electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) nanofibrous membrane coated with attapulgite (ATP) nanoparticles onto a PP nonwoven microfibrous fabric, which exhibits a unique porous structure with a pore-size gradient along the thickness direction that ranges from tens of microns to hundreds of nanometers. As a result, besides the enhanced thermal stability given by the chosen materials, the GOP-PH-ATP separator was endowed with a superhigh porosity of ~95%, strong affinity with electrolyte, and great electrolyte uptake of ~760%, thus effectively enabling an ionic conductivity of 2.38 mS cm-1 and a lithium-ion transference number of 0.62. Furthermore, the cell with the GOP-PH-ATP separator shows an excellent cycling performance with a capacity retention of 91.2% after 150 cycles at 1 C, suggesting that the composite separator with a pore-size gradient structure has great potential to be applied in LIBs.

Amplification of photothermally induced reversible actuation in non-woven fabrics compared to bulk films

The burgeoning field of soft robotics has witnessed a surge in interest, driven by the pursuit of creating precise machines with soft actuators capable of surpassing or aiding human manufacturing capabilities. This work explores light-responsive shape memory actuators derived from electrospun fibers, integrating a "push-pull" azo compound into a poly(ε-caprolactone) matrix. Driven by photothermal conversion, the resulting system exhibits reversible actuation under UV light, demonstrating rapid responses and superior performance compared to film counterparts. More specifically, the significant impact of morphology on both the photothermal behavior and the actuation performance is highlighted by comparing non-woven and bulk shape memory material. The temperature variation induced by UV light in the non-woven was notably affected by scattering effects, leading to the formation of temperature gradients throughout the material. Notably, the study establishes a unique stress-responsive range for fibrous actuators, demonstrating that their porous structure contributes to higher actuation magnitudes at lower stresses compared to conventional films. This innovation holds promise for applications in micro-robotics and biomedical fields, showcasing the potential of fibrous actuators in augmenting human-friendly robotics through their lightweight, flexible, and remotely actuated features.

Construction of X-Co-tri@SSNF reinforced PPS composite proton exchange membranes and their performance in fuel cells

In this study, we pioneered the introduction of benzophenone (DPK) as a solid solvent into polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) melt-blown, which effectively reduced the PPS melt-blown processing temperature and significantly improved the coefficients of variation of PPS melt-blown nonwoven materials. X-Co-tri@SSNF proton exchange membranes with excellent performance were prepared by functionalized modification of PPS melt-blown fabric as a substrate. The structure and properties of X-Co-tri@SSNF proton exchange membranes were systematically characterized. The results demonstrate that the 1-Co-tri@SSNF PEM exhibited a high proton conductivity of 0.183 S cm−1 at 80 °C and high humidity, significantly higher than the commercial Nafion 117 (0.135 S cm−1). Due to the heat resistance of PPS itself and the continuous dense network structure substrate of PPS nonwoven fabrics as well as the high compatibility with the membrane casting liquid, the hybrid membrane interfaces were tightly connected, so it makes the hybrid membrane perform better in terms of mechanical stability (tensile strength of 36.7 MPa), methanol permeability (4.78 × 10−7 cm2 s−1), selectivity (16.32 × 104 S s cm−3), and thermal stability (thermal decomposition temperature of around 450 °C). In addition, the 1-Co-tri@SSNF membrane electrode module exhibited excellent single-cell performance with an open-circuit voltage of 629.91 V and a peak power density of 96.29 mW cm−2 (162.9 % higher than that of Nafion 117). Therefore, the composite PEM with PPS melt-blown fabric as the matrix has a more environmentally friendly process than the commercial Nafion 117 membrane, a theoretical guidance for advancing the large-scale production of low-cost PEM.

Paper fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites from nonwoven preforms: A study on compression molding optimization from a manufacturing perspective

This work optimizes compression molding manufacturing for wet-formed nonwoven paper and polypropylene fiber mats. A central composite designed experiment investigated the effects of fiber reinforcement concentration, compression molding temperature, pressure, and time on composite laminate performance. We assess the composites’ density, panel thickness, water uptake, flexural behavior, and Izod impact strength. Models predicted and optimized composite performance using objective function analysis with penalties applied for undesirable conditions, such as processing time or low reinforcement concentration. Paper fiber content has the largest impact on composite properties, followed by processing time, molding pressure, and temperature. Composite optimization depends on penalty conditions; low fiber content penalties favor low fiber content panels with short processing times, while high fiber content penalties favor high fiber content panels with long processing times. This work suggests that molding composites with a greater fraction of renewable feedstock requires a commensurate increase in processing intensity.

Biochemical Evaluation and Structural Characteristics of Copper Coating Cellulose Nonwovens Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering Technology

The research aimed to enhance the aqua-jet/spunlace cellulose nonwoven fabric by deposition of copper coating by magnetron sputtering technology. Plasma technology facilitated the efficient distribution of copper particles on the surface of the cellulose nonwoven fabric, while maintaining free airflow and eliminating the need for additional layers. New cellulose-copper composites exhibit potential in biomedical applications, while minimizing their impact on biological processes such as blood plasma coagulation. Consequently, they can be utilized in the production of dressings, bandages, and other medical products requiring effective protection against bacterial infections. The cellulose-copper composite material was subjected to the physiochemical and biological investigations. The physiochemical analysis included the elemental analysis of composites, their microscopic analysis and the surface properties analysis (specific surface area and total pore volume). The biological investigations consisted of biochemical-hematological tests including the evaluation of the activated partial thromboplastin time and pro-thrombin time. Biodegradable materials based on cellulose nonwoven fabrics with the addition of copper offer a promising alternative to conventional materials. Their innovative properties, coupled with environmental friendliness and minimal impact on biological processes, offer vast application possibilities in healthcare and the production of hygiene products.

Structural Design of Multifunctional PET Non‐woven Fabric with Porous Dual‐Network for Infrared Stealth, Flame Retardant, and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

With rapid advances in electronic and communication technology, electromagnetic interference and other problems are becoming increasingly prominent. Thus, electromagnetic interference shielding materials have recently garnered extensive attention. In this study, a multi‐walled carbon nanotube/polyurethane/non‐woven electromagnetic shielding material (CPNW) is developed using impregnation and nonsolvent‐induced‐phase separation techniques. Utilizing a three‐dimensional nonwoven network as the substrate, the “nonwoven fabric‐polyurethane‐carbon nanotube” composite is impregnated and cured via the non‐solvent‐induced‐phase separation method, resulting in a distinctive porous dual‐network structure that ensures robust interfacial bonding between carbon nanotubes, nonwoven fabric, and polyurethane. At a carbon nanotube content of 10% (based on the mass of nonwoven fabric), CPNW exhibited an electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of 28.8 dB, a thermal conductivity of 0.127 W m−1 K−1, and a burning time of 1 min and 15 s, demonstrating outstanding electromagnetic shielding, flame retardant, and infrared stealth capabilities. Overall, this study laid a theoretical groundwork for the development of multifunctional non‐woven electromagnetic shielding materials with widespread application potential in aerospace, military, artificial intelligence, and wearable electronics.

Study on the water transport performance of the fractal tree-like structure of nonwoven cotton fabrics

Fractal branching networks are structures that are ubiquitous in nature, possessing multiple transport characteristics, and have been the subject of long-term attention by many researchers. Currently, in the field of textiles, research on the ability of tree-like structures to enhance the water transport property of fabrics is mostly focused on the thickness direction of the fabric. However, there is little research on the liquid water transfer rate in the horizontal direction. In this article, the water transport performance of liquid water in tree-like fractal nonwoven fabrics with different shapes (tree-like and rectangular) was investigated, and the liquid water transport rate was measured using the horizontal wicking method. It was found that when the sum of the cube of the branch width was equal to the cube of the main stem width, the water transport efficiency of liquid water in the fabric is optimal. At the same time, a summary of the experimental data was made by comparing the water transport property of fabrics with corresponding equal areas but different widths or heights. It was found that for nonwoven fabrics with the same area size, tree-like structures can transport liquid water to a farther distance in the same amount of time. Furthermore, the liquid water transport ability of tree-like nonwoven fabrics in the horizontal direction was simulated using finite element analysis in COMSOL Multiphysics, and the results were in good agreement with the experimental values.

Effects of nano‐TiO2 in configuration design and sound absorption of polyvinyl alcohol coated composite fabric structure

AbstractWith the rapid development of industrialization and population surge in modern society, noise pollution has been considered as a serious threat to human beings. In order to effectively reduce noise, the application of sound absorbing textile materials has gradually increased, also the rapid development of acoustic coating consists of conventional fiber layers and polymers. In this work, the surface morphology, micro‐structure and sound absorption properties of polyvinyl alcohol coated fabric and its composites were studied. It was found that the addition of nano‐TiO2 particles can obviously improve the sound absorption properties, and the absorption coefficient is related to fabric thickness. Furthermore, the surface of the coated fabric was compounded with melt‐blown nonwoven fabric, thus to fabricate composite sound absorber. This work indicates the good feasibility and promising application prospect of lightweight polyvinyl alcohol coated fabrics in noise reduction engineering.Highlights Combination of fiber layers and polymers for acoustic coating materials. Adding inorganic nano‐TiO2 particles with different contents. Different modification methods to improve the dispersion of coating. Composite structure with reduced thickness and increased sound absorption.

A Flexible Highly Sensitive Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Urea Sensor Based on Nonwoven Fabric That Uses Ag-Doped NiO

A Flexible Highly Sensitive Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Urea Sensor Based on Nonwoven Fabric That Uses Ag-Doped NiO

Comprehensive characterization of spathe fibres extracted from Cocos nucifera: physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and acoustic properties for insulation applications

In this study, a complete characterization of fibres extracted from the spathe of the Cocos nucifera plant and the properties of spathe fibres are compared with coir fibre extracted from the outer husk of coconut. Coconut spathe fibre is available as bio waste in bulk. The spathe fibres were carefully extracted, pre-treated with NaOH, and porous nonwoven fibre mat were prepared. The physical properties of spathe fibres were measured as per ASTM standards, and average length, diameter, and linear density were found to be 222 mm, 330 μm, and 58.85 tex, respectively. Chemical compositions, XRD analysis, single fibre tensile strength and elongation, morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermal characterization by TGA were also carried out. Spathe fibres treated with NaOH resulted in a 5% reduction in crystallinity index and more surface unevenness and pits. Developing acoustic insulation fibre mat from spathe fibre is a first-of-its-kind study. The sound absorption coefficient of the spathe fibre mat obtained from the impedance tube tester brings out a maximum absorption coefficient of 0.950 at 3150 Hz. The results were compared with coir fibre extracted from the outer husk of coconut and concluded that coconut spathe fibre is a suitable alternative for synthetic and other natural fibres.

Effect of moisture on the sensing capabilities of piezoelectric actuator/sensor pairs on flax fibre reinforced composite laminates

The sensitivity of the piezoelectric actuators’ response to the moisture uptake has been investigated on flax fibre reinforced composite laminates. Non-woven flax fabric was impregnated with epoxy and composite laminates were fabricated using hand lay-up and cured in a compression moulding machine. The laminates were initially impacted with a drop-weight impact machine at a low energy level, with the aim to generate an artificial surface crack that will allow the moisture to enter the fibre-matrix interface more effectively. A set of piezoelectric actuators and sensors were adhered on the surfaces of the composite panels in a specific rectangular arrangement to allow for wave capturing at various directions. The wave characteristics of the samples were extracted in pristine stage and then the samples were impacted and immersed in distilled water until saturation. At regular intervals after the water immersion, the panels’ weight was measured using a laboratory scale and the wave propagation characteristics of the materials ware measured in order to investigate the gradual effect of moisture on the capabilities of the actuators and sensors. The propagation of stress waves in the dry and wet samples was investigated and the effect of moisture absorption was examined experimentally using piezoelectric wafers until the saturation was reached. Finally, a continuum damage mechanics layerwise time domain spectral finite element model, both for the composite laminate and the rich resin layers, was also developed to simulate the materials’ performance under impact and evaluate the wave propagation within the material at the dry state.

Modulating the morphology and protonation degree of chitosan coatings for enabling controlled fabric functionalization

Chitosan (CS), a versatile biopolymer known for its diverse bioactivity, is commonly used as a coating or finishing agent to enhance fabric performance and broaden their applications. However, conventional methods for introducing CS coating layer on the fabrics often relies on using composition to control their functionality, limiting the ability to tailor properties for specific needs. In this study, we introduce an innovative coating platform utilizing drying, ionic gelation, or a combination of both to control the morphology and amino-protonation degree of CS. This approach allows the development of three distinct functional CS coatings from the same material composition. The method is effectively applied to cotton and polylactic acid (PLA)-based non-woven fabrics, preserving the permeability, breathability, and mechanical properties of the substrates. By varying processing conditions, it is found that CS coatings can impart distinct functions to the fabrics upon their morphology, such as attaining high degree of hydrophobicity (with a water contact angle reaching 129°), broad-spectrum antibacterial activity (>99.99 %) for the sample prepared by combined drying and ionic gelation methods. Additionally, our CS-coated fabrics can exhibit good biocompatibility, as demonstrated by cytocompatibility and histocompatibility evaluations, while excellent anti-adhesive properties and healing performance in infected wound models in rats can be obtained with the presence of CS microsphere. Our methods are straightforward and potentially scalable, enabling modular control over the functionality of CS-coated fabrics to meet diverse requirements. This work offers a promising strategy for modifying fabric properties with CS coatings, making it suitable for various applications such as facial masks, dressings, and antibacterial textiles.

Investigation of Barrier Effectiveness and Comfort Properties of Biodegradable PLA Nonwoven Fabrics Coated with Unmodified Lignin/Water-Borne Polyurethane Composite Coatings

Investigation of Barrier Effectiveness and Comfort Properties of Biodegradable PLA Nonwoven Fabrics Coated with Unmodified Lignin/Water-Borne Polyurethane Composite Coatings

A multifunctional solution to enhance capacity and stability in lithium-sulfur batteries: Incorporating hollow CeO2 nanorods into carbonized non-woven fabric as an interlayer

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) hold promise as the next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their ultra-high theoretical capacity and remarkable cost-efficiency. However, these batteries suffer from the serious shuttle effect, challenging their practical application. To address this challenge, we have developed a unique interlayer (HCON@CNWF) composed of hollow cerium oxide nanorods (CeO2) anchored to carbonized non-woven viscose fabric (CNWF), utilizing a straightforward template method. The prepared interlayer features a three-dimensional (3D) conductive network that serves as a protective barrier and enhances electron/ion transport. Additionally, the CeO2 component effectively chemisorbs and catalytically transforms lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), offering robust chemisorption and activation sites. Moreover, the unique porous structure of the HCON@CNWF not only physically adsorbs LiPSs but also provides ample space for sulfur’s volume expansion, thus mitigating the shuttle effect and safeguarding the electrode against damage. These advantages collectively contribute to the battery’s outstanding electrochemical performance, notably in retaining a reversible capacity of 80.82 % (792 ± 5.60 mAh g−1) of the initial value after 200 charge/discharge cycles at 0.5C. In addition, the battery with HCON@CNWF interlayer has excellent electrochemical performance at high sulfur loading (4 mg cm−2) and low liquid/sulfur ratio (7.5 µL mg−1). This study, thus, offers a novel approach to designing advanced interlayers that can enhance the performance of LSBs.