One-step Electrospinning Research Articles

Simple fabrication of breathable poly (vinylidene fluoride) fibrous membranes decorated by silica nanoparticles with enhanced waterproof property

In recent years, scientists have undertaken various preparation approaches to improve the waterproof and moisture permeability of fiber membranes, among which electrospinning has emerged as the simplest and most effective one. In this paper, poly (vinylidene fluoride) /silica (PVDF/SiO2) fibrous membranes were prepared by one-step electrospinning combined with heat treatment. The morphology, surface wettability, water resistance and moisture permeability of the fibrous membranes were also characterized. When the concentration of PVDF was 12 wt.%, the nanofiber membranes exhibited the most uniform and optimal morphology. In addition, the fiber membranes not only exhibited a high water contact angle (WCA) (135.56 °) and a small maximum pore size (dmax) (1.77 μm), but also demonstrated a large hydrostatic pressure (116.86 kPa) and a moderate water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) (3.53 kg m-2 d-1). The PVDF/SiO2 fibrous membranes with good waterproof and moisture permeability obtained in this work are expected to improve the comfort of protective textiles and expand the application range.

Cellulose acetate-based composite fibrous mat with mechanically stable pore structure showing excellent hydrophobicity for effective oil spill treatment

Eco-friendly cellulose acetate (CA) based composite fibrous mat with mechanically stable pore structure and rough fibers is successfully fabricated via a simple and one-step electrospinning method. Based on the phase migration during electrospinning, the flexible polymer of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with low surface tension tends to concentrate on the surface of the CA/TPU composite fibers, endowing the fibrous mat exhibiting hydrophobicity and super-oleophilicity. The TPU component creates the bonding among composite fibers, stabilizing the pore structure by increasing the modulus and tensile strength of the CA/TPU fibrous mat. Finally, the as-designed CA/TPU composite fibrous mat could selectively and efficiently absorb various oils from oil-water mixtures featuring high saturation absorption capacity of 28.35–64.18 gg-1 and excellent durability. Besides, the CA/TPU composite fibrous mat exhibits exceptional environmental stability and a continuous oil-water separation capacity to purify the polluted water, revealing a great potential for practical application.

Hierarchically Structured Cellulose Acetate/Poly(Ethylene Oxide)/Polyamide-6 Nanofiber Membrane Prepared by One-step Electrospinning for Air Filtration

Hierarchically Structured Cellulose Acetate/Poly(Ethylene Oxide)/Polyamide-6 Nanofiber Membrane Prepared by One-step Electrospinning for Air Filtration

Polystyrene Nanofibrous Membrane Infused with TiO2 Nanoparticles by a One-Step Electrospinning Process for Effective Oil–Water Separation

Polystyrene Nanofibrous Membrane Infused with TiO₂ Nanoparticles by a One-Step Electrospinning Process for Effective Oil–Water Separation

Ion-induced electrospinning of hierarchical spiderweb-like bioscaffolds

Tissue engineered scaffolds need to possess various functionalities, including biocompatibility, mechanical support, bioactivity, and vascularization. The design and fabrication of bioscaffolds to attain mutual coordination among these functionalities with minimal processing complexity are a highly challenging but rewarding task. In this study, a simple, effective one-step electrospinning method was developed to fabricate hierarchical spiderweb-like bioscaffolds that achieve both superior biological and mechanical functionalities. By incorporating ionic drugs of deferoxamine mesylate and lithium chloride, the spiderweb-inspired structures with adjustable coverages (up to 100 %) were successfully created, imparting the fibrous bioscaffolds with remarkable tensile strengths (∼88.28 MPa). The strengthening mechanisms endowed by the spiderweb structure in optimizing stress distribution to delay damage and enhance load-bearing ability were elucidated through finite element simulations. Furthermore, this hierarchical spiderweb-like bioscaffold demonstrated favorable biological characteristics, including biocompatibility, osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and hemostasis. The presence of the nano-spiderweb structures significantly improved cell adhesion and differentiation on the scaffold and increased the spreading area of cells by 2–3 times. The dual-drug loaded bioscaffolds with full coverages of the spiderweb structure exhibited the least amount of bleeding (45.33 ± 27.47 mg) and the fastest hemostasis speed (82 ± 8.19 s) in the hemostasis test, compared to the control group. Overall, the outstanding performance makes the developed bioscaffolds a promising alternative for tissue repair and regeneration in the field of tissue engineering.

One-step electrospinning of cellulose acetate/chitosan/TiO2 fibrous membranes: efficient humic acid removal by synergistic adsorption and photocatalysis

One-step electrospinning of cellulose acetate/chitosan/TiO2 fibrous membranes: efficient humic acid removal by synergistic adsorption and photocatalysis

The investigation of the energy harvesting performance using electrospun PTFE/PVDF based on a triboelectric assembly

This work presents an investigation into the energy harvesting performance of a combination of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) materials prepared using a one-step electrospinning technique. Before electrospinning, different percentages of the 1 micron PTFE powder were added to a PVDF precursor. The surface morphology of the electrospun PTFE/PVDF fibre was investigated using a scanning electron microscope and tunnelling electron microscope. The structure was investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). A highly porous structure was observed with a mix of the α- and β-phase PVDF. The amount of β-phase was found to reduce when increasing the percentage of PTFE. The maximum amount of PTFE that could be added and still be successfully electrospun was 20%. This percentage showed the highest energy harvesting performance of the different PTFE/PVDF combinations. Electrospun fibres with different percentages of PTFE were deployed in a triboelectric energy harvester operating in the contact separation mode and the open circuit voltage and short circuit current were obtained at frequencies of 4–9 Hz. The 20% PTFE fibre showed 4 (51–202 V) and 7 times (1.3–9.04 µA) the voltage and current output respectively when compared with the 100% PVDF fibre. The V oc and I sc were measured for different load resistances from 1 kΩ to 6 GΩ and achieved a maximum power density of 348.5 mW m−2 with a 10 MΩ resistance. The energy stored in capacitors 0.1, 0.47, 1, and 10 µF from a book shaped PTFE/PVDF energy harvester were 1.0, 16.7, 41.2 and 136.8 µJ, respectively. The electrospun fibre is compatible with wearable and e-textile applications as it is breathable and flexible. The electrospun PTFE/PVDF was assembled into shoe insoles to demonstrate energy harvesting performance in a practical application.

Ultrafast electron transfer at the In2O3/Nb2O5 S-scheme interface for CO2 photoreduction

Constructing S-scheme heterojunctions proves proficient in achieving the spatial separation of potent photogenerated charge carriers for their participation in photoreactions. Nonetheless, the restricted contact areas between two phases within S-scheme heterostructures lead to inefficient interfacial charge transport, resulting in low photocatalytic efficiency from a kinetic perspective. Here, In2O3/Nb2O5 S-scheme heterojunctions are fabricated through a straightforward one-step electrospinning technique, enabling intimate contact between the two phases and thereby fostering ultrafast interfacial electron transfer (<10 ps), as analyzed via femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. As a result, powerful photo-electrons and holes accumulate in the Nb2O5 conduction band and In2O3 valence band, respectively, exhibiting extended long lifetimes and facilitating their involvement in subsequent photoreactions. Combined with the efficient chemisorption and activation of stable CO2 on the Nb2O5, the resulting In2O3/Nb2O5 hybrid nanofibers demonstrate improved photocatalytic performance for CO2 conversion.

BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3-δ particles embedded PrBa0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5+δ hollow nanofibers with 3D fast transmission path as oxygen electrode for proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cell

To address the challenge of low-temperature catalytic activity of oxygen electrodes, a high-activity triplex ionic conductor material, PrBa0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5+δ (PBSCF), is prepared using electrospinning. The preparation PBSCF and BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BZCYYb) nanofibers composite electrodes are used with different composite methods to improve the catalytic activity and the proton transport pathway within the electrode. The results show that PBSCF@BZCYYb prepared by PBSCF and BZCYYb pre-mixed one-step electrospinning has high porosity and 3D interwoven continuous transmission path, exhibiting minimal polarization impedance on symmetric cells. The electrolysis cell with PBSCF@BZCYYb|BZCYYb|NiO-BZCYYb (active layer) |NiO-BZCYYb (support layer) structure shows electrolysis current densities of 775.4 mA cm−2 under 1.3 V at 650 °C with 20%H2O+80%Air atmosphere. Additionally, during the constant voltage electrolysis, the cell shows acceptable stability in 60 h at 650 °C, considered to be a promising oxygen electrode material in this work.

Core-shell nanofibers based on microalgae proteins/alginate complexes for enhancing survivability of probiotics

In this study, a novel one-step coaxial electrospinning process is employed to fabricate shell-core structure fibers choosing Chlorella pyrenoidosa proteins (CP) as the core material. These nanofibers, serving as the wall material for probiotic encapsulation, aimed to enhance the stability and antioxidant activity of probiotics in food processing, storage, and gastrointestinal environments under sensitive conditions. Morphological analysis was used to explore the beads-on-a-string morphology and core-shell structure of the electrospun fibers. Probiotics were successfully encapsulated within the fibers (7.97 log CFU/g), exhibiting a well-oriented structure along the distributed fibers. Compared to free probiotics and uniaxial fibers loaded with probiotics, encapsulation within microalgae proteins/alginate core-shell structure nanofibers significantly enhanced the probiotic cells' tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions (p < 0.05). Thermal analysis indicated that microalgae proteins/alginate core-shell structure nanofibers displayed superior thermal stability compared to uniaxial fibers. The introduction of CP resulted in a 50 % increase in the antioxidant capacity of probiotics-loaded microalgae proteins/alginate nanofibers compared to uniaxial alginate nanofibers, with minimal loss of viability (0.8 log CFU/g) after 28 days of storage at 4 °C. In summary, this dual-layer carrier holds immense potential in probiotic encapsulation and enhancing their resistance to harsh conditions.

Development of catalytic zero-valent iron incorporated PAN catalytic film for efficient degradation of organic matters

Catalytic films work well in degradation of organic matters. However, catalytic activity and stability of films are challenging factors. A nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) incorporated porous PAN fiber (Fe-PAN) film was thus developed through a one-step cryogenic auxiliary electrospinning method. The Fe-PAN film overcame the problem in the traditional multistep preparation process. The excellent intrinsic properties of the polymer in the film were maintained. It exhibited high catalytic activity (> 95% conversion in just 4 min) and excellent stability and reusability, due to the synergistic interaction between PAN and NZVI. The degradation process was optimized by the Box-Behnken design, leading to the optimal condition: pH = 2.8, temperature = 56 °C, and oxidant concentration = 4.2 mmol/L. The degradation followed the 2nd order kinetic equation and was due to the reactions by ·OH and O2-· radicals. This study demonstrates the great potentials of the Fe-PAN film for industrial applications.

Promoted adsorption-photocatalysis synergistic removal of contaminants via surface regulation by a tree-like nanofiber membrane substrate

Photocatalysis represents a promising strategy for wastewater treatment, but the widely used powder photocatalysts are still limited by sluggish interfacial mass transfer and chemical processes. In this study, a tree-like PVDF nanofiber membrane (T-PVDF) was explored to enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 and TiO2/BiOI heterojunction through different pathways. TiO2 was first integrated into the T-PVDF substrate via a one-step electrospinning method. The dendritic architecture greatly favored the contaminant adsorption on the catalytic surface and thus boosted the photodegradation of RhB under UV or visible light irradiation. Especially for the visible light driven dye-sensitive photocatalysis, the integrated TiO2@T-PVDF outperformed the powder TiO2 and pristine PVDF membrane anchored TiO2 by 17.9 and 2.4 times, respectively. In addition, the construction of TiO2/BiOI heterojunction on the T-PVDF substrate was realized by further growing BiOI nanosheets via a solvothermal method. The irregular growth of BiOI on the multiscale nanofiber substrate formed a rough surface with unexpected high hydrophobicity, which allowed the accumulation of high-concentrated O2 at the catalytic interfaces. This greatly boosted the O2 reduction and inhibited the competitive H2 evolution under visible light irradiation, resulting in 3.8-fold higher reaction kinetics than that obtained for hydrophilic powder TiO2/BiOI heterojunction.

Superelastic and fluorine-free nanofiber membranes prepared by one-step electrospinning for waterproof and breathable applications

Waterproof and breathable membranes (WBMs) possessing high mechanical properties are widely sought after for a variety of applications. However, their manufacture still presents challenges in terms of environmental protection and process simplification. Herein, we present a facile way of developing fluorine-free and superelastic WBMs. The in-situ integration of poly(methylhydro-siloxane) and poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) simultaneously satisfies the required mechanical properties, waterproofness, and breathability. The resultant membranes possess excellent tensile properties, exhibiting a breaking strain of 557.7 % and stress of 3.98 MPa. Further investigations reveal the membranes demonstrate excellent breathability (3303.7 g m−2 d−1) and hydrostatic pressure (70.9 kPa) while maintaining their comprehensive performance even under large tensile strains. The innovation of superelastic WBMs with stable properties holds promising application prospects in numerous fields.

Controlled synthesis of Au@TiO2 mesoporous hollow nanofibers by one-step polyethylenimine-regulated electrospinning method for efficiently photocatalytic oxidation of CO

TiO2 mesoporous hollow nanofibers with excellent mass diffusion is an attractive photocatalytic material to remove toxic gaseous pollutants like CO, while it is highly desired to improve the photogenerated charge separation and O2 activation. Herein, the Au nanoparticles inner-loaded TiO2 mesoporous hollow nanofibers (Au@TO MPHNFs) have been controllably fabricated by one-step coaxial electrospinning, in which it is crucial to use polyethyleneimine as porogen and stabilizer for mesoporous and TiO2 in nanofibers shell. Concurrently, a stepwise phase transfer technique is employed to realize the uniform and stable dispersion of the Au in the paraffin oil as core precursor. The Au@TO MPHNFs exhibits 2.7 and 7.4-fold CO photooxidation enhancement compared with commercial P25 and TO MPHNFs, respectively. The enhanced photoactivity can be attributed to the creation of the mesoporous hollow structure for facilitating better mass transportation, and the incorporation of Au nanoparticles for efficient charge separation and O2 activation. Meanwhile, the photothermal effect of Au expedites intermediaries transformation and product desorption.

A dual-network structured poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide) nanofiber separator with Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 for dendrite-free and high-safety lithium-metal batteries

Separator plays an important role in improving the long-term cycle stability and safety performance of high-energy–density lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, a robust thermotolerant separator is prepared by one-step electrospinning technique, combing fluorinated poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide) nanofibers with Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO), a fast ionic conductor. The synergistically incorporated poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and LLZTO trigger off the formation of a fancy dual-network structure with high porosity and well-distributed nanopores, in which ultrafine secondary nanonets are tightly bound with three-dimensional nanofiber scaffold. LLZTO can not only provide sufficient Li+ migration channels, but also immobilize free anions to strengthen ionic transmission. Moreover, this nanofiber separator possesses high mechanical strength, excellent thermal stability and desirable electrolyte affinity. It can gel liquid electrolyte well, leading to high tLi+, homogenized Li+ flux and uniform Li deposition. Consequently, LMBs with this dual-network structured nanofiber separator deliver satisfactory cycle stability and high C-rate capability. This contribution provides new insights into the design and development of high-quality nanofiber separators for dendrite-free and high-safety LMBs.

Development of chitosan/polycaprolactone-thymol Janus films with directional transport and antibacterial properties for meat preservation

Reducing contamination from percolate is critical to the preservation of foods with high water content, such as pork. This study aims to develop a novel active packaging material for meat preservation by precisely controlled dual-channel one-step electrospinning. Compared to traditional strategies of preparing Janus films, this method allows for greater flexibility and efficiency. The structure and properties of the Janus film are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle (WCA), directional liquid transport investigation, Thymol release and permeation features, and biocompatibility evaluation. Moreover, the Janus film is applied to the packaging of pork with modified atmosphere packaging to demonstrate its practical application prospects in the food active packaging field. The results revealed that the two sides of the film showed completely different wettability, and the change rate of WCA increased with the increase of the scale of hydrophilic fibers. The permeation features of thymol loaded in the film was consistent with the results of antibacterial properties and biocompatibility assessment. Moreover, the Janus film can effectively prolong the shelf life, improve the quality and safety of the pork.

Chemical sensitization and surface basicity synergistic modulation the xylene sensing performance of In2O3

Xylene poses a risk to the health of humans even in the low concentration range. Therefore, it is crucial to develop some sensing materials, which exhibit high sensitivity, excellent selectivity, and ultra-low detection limits towards xylene. Although most semiconducting metal oxides, including In2O3, show acceptable sensitivity to alcohols and aldehydes, they have difficulty detecting para-xylene effectively, which is a less chemically reactive compound. In this study, a one-step electrospinning process was utilized to introduce both calcium and ruthenium into the In2O3 nanofibers. Calcium was added to increase surface alkalinity, while ruthenium acted as a catalyst for further promoting the sensing activity of In2O3. The results indicate that In2O3 nanofibers doped with 5% calcium and modified with 1% ruthenium gave improved response, selectivity, and decreased operating temperature compared to single modified In2O3, which could be attributed to the dual introduction of calcium and ruthenium, leading to the increased alkalinity, the electrosensitization and chemosensitization, respectively.

Silk fibroin incorporated electrospun aliphatic polyester nanofiber scaffolds with excellent dimensional stability and cytocompatibility

Poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) has been extensively utilized to fabricate electrospun fibers for tissue engineering scaffolds due to its good biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, such scaffolds in biological media shrink and distort severely, which is undesired for practical application. In this study, a silk fibroin incorporated electrospun aliphatic polyester nanofiber scaffold (PLGA/PCL/SF) was developed via facile one-step electrospinning, with PLGA as the substrate and incorporating polycaprolactone (PCL) and silk fibroin (SF). The resulting scaffold exhibited fine fibers and water absorbency. Particularly, the addition of SF into scaffolds improved the water adsorption ability, and that of PCL effectively prevented scaffold shrinkage behaviors. In vitro degradation analyses showed that it was accelerating for the obtained scaffolds with SF added, without any undesirable acidic environment induced. Additionally, the PLGA/PCL/SF scaffold exhibited the most promising result in cell proliferation, presenting a valuable insight into the design of tissue engineering scaffolds.

Polyoxometalates electron acceptor-intercalated In2O3@SnO2 nanofibers for chemiresistive ethanol gas sensors

Polyoxometalates (POMs), as a kind of electron acceptors, comes into sight in gas sensing field. Here, we in situ construct a group of polyoxomethoate/semiconductor one-dimensional tandem heterojunction materials using convenient one-step coaxial electrospinning method. A polyoxometalates electron acceptor layer was intercalated into In2O3@SnO2 nanofibers (NFs), forming In2O3@PW12@SnO2 coaxial core-middle-shell NFs. Gas sensing performances of the one-dimensional In2O3@PW12@SnO2 tandem heterojunctions were investigated for the first time. The fabricated NFs exhibited excellent detection performances for ethanol gas. The optimal sensitivity response to 100 ppm ethanol can reach 22.6, which is about 4 times that of POMs-free samples. Other gas sensing parameters were also comprehensively studied. The significant enhancement can be attributed to the addition of appropriate amount of PW12 electron acceptor which accelerate electrons transfer and reduce the recombination of electron-hole pairs. This work provides a novel strategy for developing high performance gas sensors by constructing tandem heterojunctions as well as introducing POMs electron acceptor, and offers new insight into the development of POMs-based gas sensors.

Spiral Structured Cellulose Acetate Membrane Fabricated by One-Step Electrospinning Technique with High Water Permeation Flux

A functionally graded membrane (FGM) with a special spiral-structured cellulose acetate (CA) membrane was prepared by electrospinning under different collection distances. The membrane morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FESEM images revealed that the high concentration shows the formation of fibers with an irregular diameter, with a large diameter distribution range. The fiber collected at a short distance of 10 cm experiences the strong electrostatic force, resulting in the short flight time for the polymer jet. This causes the bending instability of the polymer jet forming the comparatively thick fiber diameters, whereas the fiber collected at 15 cm shows the presence of a smooth, homogeneous diameter. Furthermore, the water flux of the membrane was determined using 50 mL of Amicon stirred cells. The fiber collected at different distances showed diameter variation, which is used to design a special spiral structure on the membrane by auto-moving the collector between the fixed distances of 10–20 cm. This technique will reveal a new approach for the fabrication of a special spiral structure on the nanofibrous membrane for different biomedical applications from different polymers. Meanwhile, the fabricated FGM with a special spiral-structure CA membrane demonstrates high water permeation flux.