Advanced Fiber Materials最新文献

Achieving human skin-like sensitivity and wide-range pressure detection remains a significant challenge in the development of wearable pressure sensors. In this study, we engineered and fabricated a fibrous polyimide fiber (PIF)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite aerogel with a gradient structure using a layer-by-layer freeze casting technique, aiming to overcome the limitations of traditional pressure sensors. Finite element analysis (FEA) reveals that this innovative gradient structure mimics the unique microstructure of human skin, enabling the sensor to detect a broad spectrum of pressure stimuli, ranging from subtle pressures as low as 10 Pa to intense pressures up to 1.58 MPa with exceptional sensitivity. Moreover, the sensor exhibits extraordinary pressure resolution across the entire pressure range, particularly at 1 MPa (0.001%). Additionally, the sensor demonstrates remarkable thermal stability, operating reliably across a wide temperature range from − 150 to 200 °C, making it suitable for extreme environments such as deep space exploration. When integrated with machine learning algorithms, the sensor shows great potential for real-time physiological monitoring, fitness tracking, and motion recognition. The proposed gradient fibrous pressure sensor, with its high sensitivity and resolution over a wide pressure range, paves the way for new opportunities in human–machine interaction.

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To enhance the bonding strength between the active material and the core yarn current collector through nano-entanglement, bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube (BC/CNT) nanofiber yarns were developed using in situ cultivation and wet twisting. This method utilizes the large specific surface area and abundant active functional groups of BC-based nanofibers. Subsequently, V₂O₅/BC/CNT composite yarn electrodes were fabricated, exhibiting a core-sheath structure with excellent conformal characteristics. The influence of ultrasound duration on the conductivity and electrochromic performance of composite yarns was investigated. The initial discharge-specific capacity was recorded as 105.3 mAh/g, with a capacity retention rate of 60.2% after 100 cycles. The composite yarn exhibited 100 reversible transitions between yellow and blue, with reduction and oxidation response times of 2.35 s and 3.3 s, respectively. The modulation amplitude at 532 nm during the initial cycle was 20.31%, and after 100 cycles, the modulation amplitude retention rate remained at 68%.

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Mimicking human skin mechanoreceptors grouped by various thresholds creates an efficient system to detect interfacial stress between skin and environment, enabling precise human perception. Specifically, the detected signals are transmitted in the form of spikes in the neuronal network via synapses. However, current efforts replicating this mechanism for health-monitoring struggle with limitations in flexibility, durability, and performance, particularly in terms of low sensitivity and narrow detection range. This study develops novel soft mechanoreceptors with tunable pressure thresholds from 1.94 kPa to 15 MPa. The 0.455-mm-thin mechanoreceptor achieves an impressive on–off ratio of over eight orders of magnitude, up to 40,000 repeated compression cycles and after 20 wash cycles. In addition, the helical array reduces the complexity and port count, requiring only two output channels, and a differential simplification algorithm enables two-dimensional spatial mapping of pressure. This array shows stable performance across temperatures ranging from − 40 to 50 °C and underwater at depths of 1 m. This technology shows significant potential for wearable healthcare applications, including sensor stimulation for children and the elderly, and fall detection for Parkinson’s patients, thereby enhancing the functionality and reliability of wearable monitoring systems.

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Photo/electro-thermal evaporation is a promising tactic for alleviating the scarcity of fresh water, but its practical application still faces many challenges such as weak photoabsorption, high vaporization enthalpy and serious water-electrolysis during photo-thermal/electrothermal evaporation. To solve these problems, inspired by black rose petal and electric heater, we report a biomimetic design of fabric for achieving efficient photothermal/electrothermal desalination. The photo/electrothermal fabric is fabricated by decorating super-hydrophilic MnO₂ nanoplates as shell on hydrophobic carbon fiber (CF) as core via an electro-deposition method. MnO₂ nanoplate decoration as a stone confers three fascinating features (birds): (I) the hydrophilic nature of MnO₂ contributes to the fabric’s superhydrophilicity and decreased evaporation enthalpy (2032 kJ kg⁻¹) in comparison with that (2410 kJ kg⁻¹) of pure water; (II) nanoplate structure confers the light-trapping effect and thus the improved photoabsorption efficiency of 95.1%; (III) CF-core/MnO₂-shell structure can effectively suppress electrolysis of water and lead to good electrothermal conversion property. As a result, CF/MnO₂ fabric-based hanging evaporator shows the high photo-thermal evaporation rate of 2.3 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ at 1 sun (1 kW m⁻²) and electrothermal evaporation rate of 5.3 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ at 3 V. Importantly, by the combined effects of 1 sun and 3 V, CF/MnO₂ fabric achieves a striking synergetic evaporation rate of 8.5 kg m⁻² h⁻¹, exceeding the sum (7.5 kg m⁻² h⁻¹) of the individual photo-thermal and electro-thermal evaporation rates. The present high synergetic evaporation performance benefits from efficient photo/electrothermal conversion of the fabric and sufficient water-supplementation at the fiber-water interface resulting from thermosiphon effect. Thus, this study offers a novel possibility in the rational design of photo-electrothermal materials for efficient evaporation of seawater.

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The precise and rapid detection of micro-ribonucleic acid (microRNA) in the incipient stages of cancer can effectively elucidate the pathogenesis, migration, and development of tumors. Most of the current microRNA detection methods require large quantities of purified samples, labeling, extended incubation times, and cell lysis, leading to complex procedures that demand labor-intensive preparations and stringent experimental conditions. In this work, we develop a portable and multifunctional biosensor based on an optical microfiber for the detection of microRNA in the early stages of cancer. An innovative graphene oxide-supported bimetallic nanorod (GO-Au NR-Ag NR) interface is engineered on the surface of the optical microfiber to enhance sensor sensitivity for the early detection of ultralow concentrations of microRNA and to integrate cell lysis capabilities. With the enhancement of interface, the sensor is able to detect microRNA-21 at concentrations ranging from 10 zmol/L to 0.1 nmol/L, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.25 amol/L. It is also capable of detecting microRNA-21 in body fluids, such as sweat and serum, with LODs of 0.5 amol/L and 0.9 amol/L, respectively. The nano-interface enables the use of photothermal effects by the microfiber to lyse cells and directly detect intracellular microRNA-21, significantly reducing sample extraction time and simplifying the extraction and detection process. This work provides a portable, ultrasensitive, compact, efficient, and non-invasive tool for point-of-care testing.

The rapid advancement of wearable electronics has driven significant interest in the development of wearable energy storage technologies. Among them, aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have gained considerable attention as promising candidates for portable and wearable applications. In particular, aqueous fiber-shaped ZIBs offer distinctive advantages, such as miniaturization, flexibility, and wearability, making them especially suitable for powering next-generation wearable devices. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in aqueous fiber-shaped ZIBs, focusing on the fabrication of fiber-based electrodes and various battery configurations. In addition, we highlight the evolution of fiber-shaped ZIBs from single-function to multi-function systems, exploring their potential for diverse applications. The review also addresses the key challenges in this field and discusses future research directions to drive the further development of aqueous fiber-shaped ZIBs.

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Traditional antibiotic-based therapies for treating infectious wounds often face challenges in balancing long-term biosafety, promoting wound healing, and effectively eradicating bacteria. Herein, we introduce an innovative "top-down" approach to fabricating one-dimensional (1D) pristine silk nanofibers (SNFs) by the gradual exfoliation of silk fibers, preserving their inherent semi-crystalline structure. These SNFs functioned as a robust template for the in situ growth of two-dimensional (2D) plum blossom-like bismuth nanosheets (BiNS), whose anisotropic morphology enhances bactericidal contact efficiency. The resulting BiNS-equipped SNFs (SNF@Bi) are assembled into membranes (SNFM@Bi) via vacuum filtration, showing superior biocompatibility, photothermal efficiency, and photodynamic activity. Furthermore, the acidic wound microenvironment or near-infrared (NIR) irradiation triggered the release of Bi³⁺, exhibiting nanoenzyme-mediated catalytic activity. This multimodal mechanism allows SNFM@Bi to eliminate over 99% of Staphylococcus aureus and 100% of Escherichia coli by disrupting biofilms, inducing lysis, and causing oxidative damage. In vivo evaluations demonstrated significant bacteria clearance, accelerated angiogenesis, and enhanced collagen deposition, contributing to rapid wound healing without systemic toxicity. Notably, SNFM@Bi detaches spontaneously after healing, avoiding chronic nanomaterial retention risks. This multifunctional antimicrobial platform offers a controllable, effective, and biocompatible therapeutic strategy for antimicrobial dressing design, with potential applications in biomedicine, environmental protection, and public health.

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Flexible strain sensors are revolutionizing human–machine interactions and next-generation health care by enabling real-time monitoring of human motion and precision medical treatment. However, developing lightweight flexible strain sensors that combine high sensitivity with a broad monitoring range remains a significant challenge. To address this challenge, an advanced structural engineering strategy based on the sodium chloride (NaCl) template sacrificial method is employed to simultaneously increase sensitivity and mechanical robustness. By leveraging a NaCl template sacrificial method, a hierarchical synergistic conductive network is constructed within the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix formed via in situ growth. This design enables ultra-high sensitivity across a broad strain range, offering promising potential for wearable sensing applications. The resulting sensor exhibits exceptional performance characteristics, including a low detection limit (0.176%), high sensitivity (gage factor, GF = 331.7), wide sensing range (up to 230.1%), rapid response/recovery times (133 ms/133 ms), and remarkable durability exceeding 4000 cycles. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrated excellent electrothermal conversion performance with a positive temperature coefficient of 0.00207 °C⁻¹ and an achievable saturation temperature of 54.2 °C (1.0 A). Finally, the sensor was successfully integrated into a smart wearable system, enabling precise recognition and classification of multiple gestures through machine learning algorithms while also exhibiting significant potential for inflammation hyperthermia therapy.

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Biodegradable and biocompatible organic polymers play a pivotal role in designing the next generation of wearable smart electronics, reducing electronic waste and carbon emissions while promoting a toxin-free environment. Herein, an electrospun fibrous polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) organic mat-based, energy-autonomous, skin-adaptable temperature sensor is developed, eliminating the need for additional storage or circuit components. The electrospun PHB mat exhibits an enhanced β-crystalline phase with a β/α phase ratio of 3.96 using 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol as a solvent. Solvent and film processing techniques were tailored to obtain high-quality PHB films with the desired thickness, flexibility, and phase conversion. The PHB mat-based temperature sensor (PHB–TS) exhibits a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, with a sensitivity of − 2.94%/°C and a thermistor constant of 4676 K, outperforming pure metals and carbon-based sensors. A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on the enhanced β-phase PHB mat was fabricated, delivering an output of 156 V, 0.43 µA, and a power density of 1.71 mW/m². The energy-autonomous PHB–TS was attached to the index finger to monitor temperature changes upon contact with hot and cold surfaces, demonstrating good reliability and endurance.

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As an emerging nanomaterial, nanofibrous aerogel possesses advantages such as low density, large specific surface area, low thermal conductivity, and high mechanical stability. Preparing nanofiber aerogels through electrospinning is an emerging research topic. This review focuses on the key fabrication techniques for electrospun nanofibrous aerogels, including freeze-drying, direct electrospinning, layer-by-layer stacking, and thermally induced self-agglomeration. In addition, by combining nanofibers’ distinctive properties and aerogels’ physical characteristics, nanofibrous aerogels demonstrate various potential academic and industrial applications, including thermal insulation, sound absorption, solar desalination, air filtration, oil–water separation, and biomedical engineering. This paper provides an overview of the fundamentals and recent advancements in electrospinning, summarizes the fabrication methods and applications of the most representative nanofibrous aerogels in recent years, and offers insights into nanofibrous aerogels’ challenges and prospects.

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