Advanced Fiber Materials最新文献

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are energy-storage devices with a high-energy density in which the separator provides a physical barrier between the cathode and anode, to prevent electrical short circuits. To meet the demands of high-performance batteries, the separator must have excellent electrolyte wettability, thermotolerance, mechanical strength, highly porous structures, and ionic conductivity. Numerous nonwoven-based separators have been used in LIBs due to their high porosity and large surface-to-volume ratios. However, the fabrication of multi-functional fibers, the construction of nonwoven separators, and their integration into energy-storage devices present grand challenges in fundamental theory and practical implementation. Herein, we systematically review the up-to-date concerning the design and preparation of nonwoven-based separators for LIBs. Recent progress in monolayer, composite, and solid electrolyte nonwoven-based separators and their fabrication strategies is discussed. Future challenges and directions toward advancements in separator technologies are also discussed to obtain separators with remarkable performance for high-energy density batteries.

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MXene-decorated textile composites have attracted tremendous attention, due to their possible applications in wearable sensing electronics. However, the easy oxidation, low strain sensitivity and poor water-proof performance restrict the applications of MXene-based smart textiles. Here, we developed a flexible and hydrophobic polymer nanofibrous composite with a screw-like structure by assembling MXene nanosheets onto a prestretched polyurethane (PU) nanofiber surface and subsequent fluorination treatment. The thin hydrophobic fluorosilane layer can greatly prevent the MXene shell from being oxidized and simultaneously endow the nanofiber composite with good hemostatic performance. The wrinkled MXene shell with the screw-like structure enhances the sensitivity of MXene@PU nanofiber composite (HMPU) toward strain, and the hydrophobic strain sensor exhibits a high gauge factor (324.4 in the strain range of 85–100%), and can detect different human movements. In virtue of its excellent water-proof performance, HMPU can function normally in corrosive and underwater conditions. In addition, the resistance of HMPU exhibits a negative temperature coefficient; thus, HMPU shows potential for monitoring temperature and providing a temperature alarm. The multifunctional HMPU shows broad application prospects in smart wearable electronics.

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Graphene aerogel fibers (GAFs) combine the advantages of lightweight, high specific strength and conductivity of graphene, showing great potential in multifunctional wearable textiles. However, the fabrication and application of GAF textiles are considerably limited by the low structural robustness of GAF. Here, we report a plastic-swelling method to fabricate GAF textiles with high performance and multi-functionalities. GAF textiles were achieved by plastic-swelling, the prewoven graphene oxide fiber (GOF) tow textiles. This near-solid plastic-swelling process allows GAFs in textiles to maintain high structural order and controllable density, and exhibit record-high tensile strength up to 103 MPa and electrical conductivity up to 1.06 × 10⁴ S m⁻¹ at the density of 0.4 g cm⁻³. GAF textiles exhibit high strength of 113 MPa, multiple electrical and thermal functions, and high porosity to serve as host materials for more functional guests. The plastic-swelling provides a general strategy to fabricate diverse aerogel fiber textiles, paving the road for their realistic application.

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Soft electronics, which require mechanical elasticity, rely on elastic materials that have both a small Young’s modulus and a large elastic strain range. These materials, however, are prone to damage when stress accumulates, presenting a significant challenge for soft electronics. To address this issue, the integration of self-healing functionality into these materials appears to be a promising solution. Dynamic covalent bond chemistry has been utilized to design high-strength polymers with controllable reversibility. Nonetheless, the temperature needed to trigger self-healing may induce thermal damage to other parts of the device. In contrast, if the self-healing temperature is reduced, the device might suffer damage when exposed to temperatures exceeding the self-healing point due to the low stability of the polymer at high temperatures. These challenges highlight the need for materials that can self-heal at low temperatures while maintaining thermal stability at high temperatures. In response to this challenge, we propose a novel approach that involves forming a microfibrous network using polycaprolactone (PCL), a material with a low melting temperature of 60 °C that is widely utilized in shape memory and self-healing materials. We fabricated the conductive fiber by encapsulating a microfiber PCL network with MXene nanosheets. These MXene nanosheets were seamlessly coated on the PCL fiber’s surface to prevent shape deformation at high temperatures. Furthermore, they exhibited high thermal conductivity, facilitating rapid internal heat dissipation. Consequently, the MXene/PCL microfiber networks demonstrated self-healing capabilities at 60 °C and thermal stability above 200 °C. This makes them potentially suitable for stretchable, self-healing electronic devices that need to withstand high temperatures.

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Uncontrollable Zn dendrites and side reactions seriously downgrade the cycling stability of the Zn anode, and restrict the commercialization of aqueous zinc ion batteries. Here, PAN-based (PAN, PAN/PMMA) nanofiber membranes with uniform “zincophilic-hydrophobic” sites have been in-situ electrospun on Zn to effectively prevent harmful side reactions and control Zn plating/stripping behavior. The abundant highly-negative functional groups (C≡N and C=O) of PAN/PMMA have strong coordination interactions with Zn²⁺, which can accelerate Zn²⁺ desolvation and increase the Zn²⁺ migration number. Furthermore, the even distribution of zincophilic sites can help create a uniform Zn deposition environment and enable horizontal Zn deposition. Simultaneously, the inherent “hydrophobicity” of the nonpolar carbon skeleton in PAN/PMMA can prevent Zn corrosion and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) side reactions, thus improving the cycling stability of the Zn anode. As a result, PAN/PMMA@Zn symmetric cells demonstrated remarkable rate performance and long cycling stability, sustaining efficient operation for over 2000 cycles at 10 mA cm^− 2 with a low polarization voltage below 65 mV. This Zn anode modification strategy by in-situ constructed PAN-based nanofiber membrane has the advantages of simple-preparation, one-step membrane construction, binder-free, uniform distribution of functionalized units, which not only provides a specific scheme for developing advanced Zn anode but also lays a certain research foundation for developing “separator-anode” integrated Zn-based batteries.

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Arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are a vital form of AV access for patients requiring hemodialysis, but they link to overall morbidity and mortality when they fail to mature. The most common cause of AVF non-maturation is neointimal hyperplasia (NIH). To minimize the deleterious effects of NIH, a perivascular wrap composed of polycaprolactone (PCL), rosuvastatin (ROSU), and gold nanoparticles (AUNPs) was constructed. This study assessed the impact of ROSU-eluting, radiopaque resorbable perivascular wraps on pathologic NIH in a chronic kidney disease (CKD) rodent model of AVF. Electrospun PCL wraps containing AuNPs and/or ROSU were monitored for in vitro tensile strength, AuNP release, ROSU elution, and effect on cellular viability. The wraps were then implanted around an AVF in a CKD rodent model for in vivo ultrasound (US) and micro-computed tomography (mCT) imaging. AVF specimens were collected for histological analyses. Cell viability was preserved in the presence of both AuNP- and ROSU-containing wraps. In vitro release of ROSU and AuNPs correlated with in vivo findings of decreasing radiopacity on mCT over time. AuNP-loaded wraps had higher radiopacity (1270.0–1412.0 HU at week 2) compared with other wraps (103.5–456.0 HU), which decreased over time. The addition of ROSU decreased US and histologic measurements of NIH. The reduced NIH seen with ROSU-loaded perivascular wraps suggests a synergistic effect between mechanical support and anti-hyperplasia medication. Furthermore, AuNP loading increased wrap radiopacity. Together, our results show that AuNP- and ROSU-loaded PCL wraps induce AVF maturation and suppress NIH while facilitating optimal implanted device visualization.

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The utilization of textile-based triboelectric nanogenerators (t-TENGs) offers great potential for providing sustainable and wearable power. Nevertheless, the current designs of t-TENGs present limitations in terms of low electrical outputs and less developed, straightforward batch processing techniques. Herein, a facile bottom-up foaming-combined coaxial extrusion method is developed for the massive fabrication of liquid metal/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) core–shell porous fibrous TENG, which can be directly woven to form t-TENGs. Ink designs are studied for high-fidelity fibrous TENG manufacturing and porosity-controlled micropore formation. Furthermore, porous fibrous TENGs are applied to integrate different woven structures, and the electrical and mechanical performances of the t-TENGs are optimized. Compared with plain surface fibrous TENG, the porous fibrous TENG achieves a ~ fivefold improvement in the open-circuit voltage (V_OC) and a ~ sevenfold improvement in the short-circuit current (I_SC). These outcomes indicate that we can prepare a range of polymers for t-TENGs with enhanced output performance even though they do not demonstrate great triboelectrification. This work also demonstrates successful integration for sustainably powering miniature electronics. These results can contribute to human motion energy harvesting for wearable self-powered sensors.

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Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM) are both frequently present in air as contaminants, posing serious health and environmental hazards. The current filtration of VOCs utilizes entirely different materials compared with PM filtration, adding complexity to air cleaning system. Herein, we design a pitch-based activated carbon ultrathin fibers (PACUFs) for bifunctional air purification. The PACUFs, with fiber diameter of ∼1.2 µm and specific surface area of 2341 m² g⁻¹, provide both high VOCs adsorption capacity (∼706 mg g⁻¹) and excellent efficiency of ∼97% PM_0.3 filtration with low pressure drop. In contrast, traditional activated carbon fibers exhibit VOCs adsorption capacity of ∼448 mg g⁻¹ and PM_0.3 removal efficiency of only ∼36% at an equal area density of ∼190 g m⁻². Theoretical investigations reveal the filtration mechanism of the high-performance bifunctional fibrous PACUFs, considering full advantages of the high surface area, small pore size, and significant micropore volume.

In this work, a light-stimulated artificial synaptic transistor based on one-dimensional nanofibers of gallium-doped indium zinc oxides (IGZO) is demonstrated. The introduction of gallium into the nanofiber lattice can effectively alter the morphology and crystallinity, leading to a wider regulatory range of synaptic plasticity. The fabricated IGZO synaptic transistor with the optimal gallium concentration and low surface defects exhibits a superior photoresponsivity of 4300 A·W⁻¹ and excellent photosensitivity, which can detect light signals as weak as 0.03 mW·cm⁻². In particular, the paired-pulse facilitation index reaches up to 252% with over 2 h of enhanced memory retention exhibiting the long-term potentiation. Furthermore, the simulated image contrast and image recognition accuracy based on the newly designed IGZO synaptic transistors are successfully enhanced. These remarkable behaviors of light-stimulated synapses utilizing low-cost electrospun nanofibers have potential for ultraweak light applications in future artificial systems.

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