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Polymers
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Advances in Polymer Nanofibers
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Advances in Polymer Nanofibers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2020) | Viewed by 91216

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Myungwoong Kim

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Inha University, Inha 22212, Republic of Korea
Interests: polymer chemistry; functional polymers; structure-properties relationships; interfacial behaviors; structurally/chemically tailored polymeric materials; micro- and nano-patterning; nano-bio applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Hoik Lee

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, 143, Hanggaulro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si 15588, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Interests: polymer nanofiber; electrospinning; nanofiber fabrication; surface modification; functionalization of nanofiber; nanofiber applications; functional nanofiber; nanofiber composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer nanofiber is a one-dimensional soft nanomaterial in nanometer scale, exhibiting unique physicochemical properties and characteristics, such as high surface-to-mass ratio, high porosity with excellent pore interconnectivity, flexibility with reasonable mechanical strength, and easiness to interact with other organic and inorganic materials. Technologies on polymer nanofibers have largely influenced the field in materials science and engineering to create new types of material platforms in a wide range of applications. To date, the technologies on fiber formations with functional polymers, structural and morphological controls, and functionality incorporations by physical blending or chemical reactions have enabled tremendous and rapid advances in various fields in biomedical, energy, environmental, and electronic engineering by accompanying fundamental and applied experimental and theoretical studies. All these achievements should be explored and merged for the next-generation materials towards ideal target properties.

This Special Issue aims to focus on recent research efforts and advances to create functional materials with precisely tailored and engineered polymer nanofibers achieving desirable physical/chemical properties for target applications. Topics possibly include fiber formations with novel functional polymers, fundamental science on fiber formations, post-processing to impart functionalities, composite fabrications, emerging biomedical, energy, environmental, and electronic applications, amongst many others.

Prof. Myungwoong Kim
Dr. Hoik Lee
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polymer nanofibers
  • functional nanofibers
  • advanced nanofiber fabrication
  • functionalizations
  • nanofiber composites
  • biomedical applications
  • environmental remediation applications
  • energy applications
  • electronic applications

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

11 pages, 4628 KiB  
Article
Electrospinning/Electrospray of Ferrocene Containing Copolymers to Fabricate ROS-Responsive Particles and Fibers
by Hoik Lee, Jiseob Woo, Dongwan Son, Myungwoong Kim, Won Il Choi and Daekyung Sung
Polymers 2020, 12(11), 2520; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12112520 - 29 Oct 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2020
Abstract
We demonstrate an electrospray/electrospinning process to fabricate stimuli-responsive nanofibers or particles that can be utilized as stimuli-responsive drug-loaded materials. A series of random copolymers consisting of hydrophobic ferrocene monomers and hydrophilic carboxyl groups, namely poly(ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate-r-methacrylic acid) [poly(FMMA-r-MA)] with [...] Read more.
We demonstrate an electrospray/electrospinning process to fabricate stimuli-responsive nanofibers or particles that can be utilized as stimuli-responsive drug-loaded materials. A series of random copolymers consisting of hydrophobic ferrocene monomers and hydrophilic carboxyl groups, namely poly(ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate-r-methacrylic acid) [poly(FMMA-r-MA)] with varied composition, was synthesized with free radical copolymerization. The morphologies of the resulting objects created by electrospray/electrospinning of the poly(FMMA-r-MA) solutions were effectively varied from particulate to fibrous structures by control of the composition, suggesting that the morphology of electrosprayed/electrospun copolymer objects was governed by its composition and hence, interaction with the solvent, highlighting the significance of the balance of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of the copolymer chain to the assembled structure. Resulting particles and nanofibers exhibited largely preserved responsiveness to reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the deposition process, opening up the potential to fabricate ROS-sensitive material with various desirable structures toward different applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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16 pages, 6769 KiB  
Article
Core-Shell Nanofibers of Polyvinylidene Fluoride-based Nanocomposites as Piezoelectric Nanogenerators
by Deepalekshmi Ponnamma, Mariem Mohammed Chamakh, Abdulrhman Mohmmed Alahzm, Nisa Salim, Nishar Hameed and Mariam Al Ali AlMaadeed
Polymers 2020, 12(10), 2344; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12102344 - 13 Oct 2020
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 3868
Abstract
Flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENG) are widely applied to harvest sustainable energy from multiple energy sources. The rational and simple design of PENG have great potential in soft electronics. Here we design a highly flexible PENG using the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymer, [...] Read more.
Flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENG) are widely applied to harvest sustainable energy from multiple energy sources. The rational and simple design of PENG have great potential in soft electronics. Here we design a highly flexible PENG using the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymer, polyvinylidene hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) with two nanoarchitectures of semiconducting metal oxides, TiO2 and ZnO. The nanotubes of TiO2 and nanoflowers of ZnO are embedded in these different polymeric media by solvent mixing, and new fiber mats are generated by coaxial electrospinning technique. This process aligns the dipoles of polymers and nanomaterials, which is normally a pre-requisite for higher piezo potential. With excellent mechanical strength and flexibility, the tailored lightweight fiber mats are capable of producing good output voltage (a maximum of 14 V) during different mechanical vibrations at various frequencies and in response to human motions. The hybrid nanocomposite PENG is durable and inexpensive and has possible applications in wearable electronics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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12 pages, 2189 KiB  
Article
Electrodeposited Polyaniline Nanofibers and MoO3 Nanobelts for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitor with Redox Active Electrolyte
by Wei Meng, Yanlin Xia, Chuanguo Ma and Xusheng Du
Polymers 2020, 12(10), 2303; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12102303 - 08 Oct 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3661
Abstract
Transition molybdenum oxides (MoO3) and conductive polymer (polyaniline, PANI) nanomaterials were fabricated and asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was assembled with MoO3 nanobelts as negative electrode and PANI nanofibers as a positive electrode. Branched PANI nanofibers with a diameter of 100 nm [...] Read more.
Transition molybdenum oxides (MoO3) and conductive polymer (polyaniline, PANI) nanomaterials were fabricated and asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was assembled with MoO3 nanobelts as negative electrode and PANI nanofibers as a positive electrode. Branched PANI nanofibers with a diameter of 100 nm were electrodeposited on Ti mesh substrate and MoO3 nanobelts with width of 30–700 nm were obtained by the hydrothermal reaction method in an autoclave. Redox active electrolyte containing 0.1 M Fe2+/3+ redox couple was adopted in order to enhance the electrochemical performance of the electrode nano-materials. As a result, the PANI electrode shows a great capacitance of 3330 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in 0.1 M Fe2+/3+/0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte. The as-assembled ASC achieved a great energy density of 54 Wh kg−1 at power density of 900 W kg−1. In addition, it displayed significant cycle stability and its capacitance even increased to 109% of the original value after 1000 charge–discharge cycles. The superior performance of the capacitors indicates their promising application as energy storage devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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13 pages, 4565 KiB  
Article
Core–Shell Eudragit S100 Nanofibers Prepared via Triaxial Electrospinning to Provide a Colon-Targeted Extended Drug Release
by Yanfei Ding, Cheng Dou, Shuyue Chang, Zhengming Xie, Deng-Guang Yu, Yanan Liu and Jun Shao
Polymers 2020, 12(9), 2034; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12092034 - 07 Sep 2020
Cited by 83 | Viewed by 5760
Abstract
In this study, a new modified triaxial electrospinning is implemented to generate an Eudragit S100 (ES100)-based core–shell structural nanofiber (CSF), which is loaded with aspirin. The CSFs have a straight line morphology with a smooth surface, an estimated average diameter of 740 ± [...] Read more.
In this study, a new modified triaxial electrospinning is implemented to generate an Eudragit S100 (ES100)-based core–shell structural nanofiber (CSF), which is loaded with aspirin. The CSFs have a straight line morphology with a smooth surface, an estimated average diameter of 740 ± 110 nm, and a clear core–shell structure with a shell thickness of 65 nm, as disclosed by the scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results. Compared to the monolithic composite nanofibers (MCFs) produced using traditional blended single-fluid electrospinning, aspirin presented in both of them amorously owing to their good compatibility. The CSFs showed considerable advantages over the MCFs in providing the desired drug-controlled-release profiles, although both of them released the drug in an erosion mechanism. The former furnished a longer time period of time-delayed-release and a smaller portion released during the first two-hour acid condition for protecting the stomach membranes, and also showed a longer time period of aspirin-extended-release for avoiding possible drug overdose. The present protocols provide a polymer-based process-nanostructure-performance relationship to optimize the reasonable delivery of aspirin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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8 pages, 1873 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of ZnO Nanoparticle-Decorated Nanofiber Mat with High Uniformity Protected by Constructing Tri-Layer Structure
by Duy-Nam Phan, Hyeong Yeol Choi, Seong-Geun Oh, Myungwoong Kim and Hoik Lee
Polymers 2020, 12(9), 1859; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12091859 - 19 Aug 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2577
Abstract
We demonstrate a sequential electrospinning process involving the adsorption of ZnO nanoparticles on the surface of bio-based polyester, which is a terpolyester of a renewable isosorbide (ISB) monomer, ethylene glycol, 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol, and terephthalic acid, the-so-called PEICT, to fabricate stable ZnO nanoparticles/PEICT nanofiber [...] Read more.
We demonstrate a sequential electrospinning process involving the adsorption of ZnO nanoparticles on the surface of bio-based polyester, which is a terpolyester of a renewable isosorbide (ISB) monomer, ethylene glycol, 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol, and terephthalic acid, the-so-called PEICT, to fabricate stable ZnO nanoparticles/PEICT nanofiber composite system protected with other two PEICT nanofiber mats. We found that post-electrospinning treatment with a particular solvent was effective to remove a residual solvent molecule in the PEICT nanofibers, which induced significant aggregation of the nanoparticles, leading to non-uniform distribution of the particles on the surface. Sequential electrospinning of the PEICT solution to sandwich ZnO nanoparticle-decorated PEICT nanofiber mat enabled to attain protected the inorganic/organic hybrid nanofiber mat, improving the long-term stability, and the reproducibility of the inorganic particles decorated nanofiber fabrication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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12 pages, 3626 KiB  
Article
Washable Colorimetric Nanofiber Nonwoven for Ammonia Gas Detection
by Hyun Ju Oh, Byeong Jin Yeang, Young Ki Park, Hyun Jung Choi, Jong H. Kim, Young Sik Kang, Younghwan Bae, Jung Yeon Kim, Seung Ju Lim, Woosung Lee and Wan-Gyu Hahm
Polymers 2020, 12(7), 1585; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12071585 - 16 Jul 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4181
Abstract
The colorimetric sensor is a facile, cost-effective, and non-power-operated green energy material for gas detection. In this study, the colorimetric sensing property of a meta-aramid/dye 3 nanofiber sensor for ammonia (NH3) gas detection was investigated. This colorimetric sensor was prepared using [...] Read more.
The colorimetric sensor is a facile, cost-effective, and non-power-operated green energy material for gas detection. In this study, the colorimetric sensing property of a meta-aramid/dye 3 nanofiber sensor for ammonia (NH3) gas detection was investigated. This colorimetric sensor was prepared using various dye 3 concentrations via electrospinning. Morphological, thermal, structural, and mechanical analyses of the sensor were carried out by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and a universal testing machine, respectively. A homemade computer color matching machine connected with a gas flow device characterized the response of the meta-aramid/dye 3 nanofiber colorimetric sensor to various exposure levels of NH3 gas. From the results, we confirmed that this colorimetric green energy sensor could detect ammonia gas in the concentration of 1–10 ppm with a sensing response time of 10 s at room temperature. After washing with laundry detergent for 30 min, the colorimetric sensors still exhibited sensing property and reversibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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14 pages, 4288 KiB  
Article
Tailoring the Diameters of Electro-Mechanically Spun Fibers by Controlling Their Deborah Numbers
by Domingo R. Flores-Hernandez, Braulio Cardenas-Benitez, Sergio O. Martinez-Chapa and Jaime Bonilla-Rios
Polymers 2020, 12(6), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12061358 - 17 Jun 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3081
Abstract
Polymer solutions with different concentrations of SU-8 2002/poly(ethylene) glycol/tetrabutyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate (SU-8/PEO/TBATFB) were electrospun in a low-voltage near-field electrospinning platform (LVNFES) at different velocities. Their diameters were related to the concentration contents as well as to their Deborah (De) numbers, which [...] Read more.
Polymer solutions with different concentrations of SU-8 2002/poly(ethylene) glycol/tetrabutyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate (SU-8/PEO/TBATFB) were electrospun in a low-voltage near-field electrospinning platform (LVNFES) at different velocities. Their diameters were related to the concentration contents as well as to their Deborah (De) numbers, which describes the elasticity of the polymer solution under determined operating conditions. We found a direct correlation between the concentration of PEO/TBATFB, the De and the diameter of the fibers. Fibers with diameters as thin as 465 nm can be achieved for De ≈ 1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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11 pages, 710 KiB  
Article
A Highly Porous Nonwoven Thermoplastic Polyurethane/Polypropylene-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Energy Harvesting by Human Walking
by Hyun Ju Oh, Jong Hyuk Bae, Young Ki Park, Jinkyu Song, Do Kun Kim, Woosung Lee, Minhee Kim, Ki Joon Heo, Yoonjin Kim, Seong Hun Kim, Byeong Jin Yeang and Seung Ju Lim
Polymers 2020, 12(5), 1044; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12051044 - 02 May 2020
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 6595
Abstract
: A highly porous nonwoven thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/Polypropylene (PP) triboelectric nanogenerator (N-TENG) was developed. To fabricate the triboelectric layers, the TPU nanofiber was directly electrospun onto the nonwoven PP at different basis weights (15, 30, and 50 g/m2). The surface morphologies and porosities [...] Read more.
: A highly porous nonwoven thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/Polypropylene (PP) triboelectric nanogenerator (N-TENG) was developed. To fabricate the triboelectric layers, the TPU nanofiber was directly electrospun onto the nonwoven PP at different basis weights (15, 30, and 50 g/m2). The surface morphologies and porosities of the nonwoven PP and TPU nanofiber mats were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and porosimetry. The triboelectric performance of the nonwoven TPU/PP based TENG was found to improve with an increase in the basis weight of nonwoven PP. The maximum output voltage and current of the TPU/PP N-TENG with 50% PP basis weight reached 110.18 ± 6.06 V and 7.28 ± 0.67 µA, respectively, due to high air volume of nonwoven without spacers. In order to demonstrate its practical application as a generator, a TPU/PP N-TENG-attached insole for footwear was fabricated. The N-TENG was used as a power source to turn on 57 light-emitting diodes through human-walking, without any charging system. Thus, owing to its excellent energy-conversion performance, simple fabrication process, and low cost, the breathable and wearable nonwoven fiber-based TENG is suitable for large-scale production, to be used in wearable devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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11 pages, 2436 KiB  
Article
Nano- And Microfiber-Based Fully Fabric Triboelectric Nanogenerator For Wearable Devices
by Jong Hyuk Bae, Hyun Ju Oh, Jinkyu Song, Do Kun Kim, Byeong Jin Yeang, Jae Hoon Ko, Seong Hun Kim, Woosung Lee and Seung Ju Lim
Polymers 2020, 12(3), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12030658 - 13 Mar 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6455
Abstract
The combination of the triboelectric effect and static electricity as a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has been extensively studied. TENGs using nanofibers have advantages such as high surface roughness, porous structure, and ease of production by electrospinning; however, their shortcomings include high-cost, limited yield, [...] Read more.
The combination of the triboelectric effect and static electricity as a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has been extensively studied. TENGs using nanofibers have advantages such as high surface roughness, porous structure, and ease of production by electrospinning; however, their shortcomings include high-cost, limited yield, and poor mechanical properties. Microfibers are produced on mass scale at low cost; they are solvent-free, their thickness can be easily controlled, and they have relatively better mechanical properties than nanofiber webs. Herein, a nano- and micro-fiber-based TENG (NMF-TENG) was fabricated using a nylon 6 nanofiber mat and melt blown nonwoven polypropylene (PP) as triboelectric layers. Hence, the advantages of nanofibers and microfibers are maintained and mutually complemented. The NMF-TENG was manufactured by electrospinning nylon 6 on the nonwoven PP, and then attaching Ni coated fabric electrodes on the top and bottom of the triboelectric layers. The morphology, porosity, pore size distribution, and fiber diameters of the triboelectric layers were investigated. The triboelectric output performances were confirmed by controlling the pressure area and basis weight of the nonwoven PP. This study proposes a low-cost fabrication process of NMF-TENGs with high air-permeability, durability, and productivity, which makes them applicable to a variety of wearable electronics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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17 pages, 5013 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of PAN Electrospun Nanofibers Modified by Tannin for Effective Removal of Trace Cr(III) in Organic Complex from Wastewater
by Jing Zhang, Chao-Hua Xue, Hong-Rui Ma, Ya-Ru Ding and Shun-Tian Jia
Polymers 2020, 12(1), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12010210 - 15 Jan 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4829
Abstract
Removal of chromium ions is significant due to their toxicity and harmfulness, however it is very difficult to remove trace Cr(III) complexed with organics because of their strong stability. Herein, a novel electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers (NF) adsorbent was fabricated and modified by [...] Read more.
Removal of chromium ions is significant due to their toxicity and harmfulness, however it is very difficult to remove trace Cr(III) complexed with organics because of their strong stability. Herein, a novel electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers (NF) adsorbent was fabricated and modified by tannic acid (TA) by a facile blend electrospinning approach for removal of trace Cr(III) in an organic complex. Utilizing the large specific area of nanofibers in the membrane and the good affinity of tannic acid on the nanofibers for hydrolyzed collagen by hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds, the as-prepared PAN–TA NFM exhibited good adsorption toward Cr(III)-collagen complexes and effective reduction of total organic carbon in tannage wastewater. The maximal adsorption capacity of Cr(III) is 79.48 mg g−1 which was obtained at the pH of 7.0 and initial Cr(III) concentration of 50 mg g−1. Importantly, the batch adsorption could decrease the Cr(III) concentration from 10–20 mg L−1 to under 1.5 mg L−1, which showed great application potential for the disposal of trace metal ions in organic complexes from wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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Review

Jump to: Research

36 pages, 7976 KiB  
Review
A Review on Micro- to Nanocellulose Biopolymer Scaffold Forming for Tissue Engineering Applications
by H. P. S. Abdul Khalil, Fauziah Jummaat, Esam Bashir Yahya, N. G. Olaiya, A. S. Adnan, Munifah Abdat, Nasir N. A. M., Ahmad Sukari Halim, U. Seeta Uthaya Kumar, Rahul Bairwan and A. B. Suriani
Polymers 2020, 12(9), 2043; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12092043 - 08 Sep 2020
Cited by 69 | Viewed by 8573
Abstract
Biopolymers have been used as a replacement material for synthetic polymers in scaffold forming due to its biocompatibility and nontoxic properties. Production of scaffold for tissue repair is a major part of tissue engineering. Tissue engineering techniques for scaffold forming with cellulose-based material [...] Read more.
Biopolymers have been used as a replacement material for synthetic polymers in scaffold forming due to its biocompatibility and nontoxic properties. Production of scaffold for tissue repair is a major part of tissue engineering. Tissue engineering techniques for scaffold forming with cellulose-based material is at the forefront of present-day research. Micro- and nanocellulose-based materials are at the forefront of scientific development in the areas of biomedical engineering. Cellulose in scaffold forming has attracted a lot of attention because of its availability and toxicity properties. The discovery of nanocellulose has further improved the usability of cellulose as a reinforcement in biopolymers intended for scaffold fabrication. Its unique physical, chemical, mechanical, and biological properties offer some important advantages over synthetic polymer materials. This review presents a critical overview of micro- and nanoscale cellulose-based materials used for scaffold preparation. It also analyses the relationship between the method of fabrication and properties of the fabricated scaffold. The review concludes with future potential research on cellulose micro- and nano-based scaffolds. The review provides an up-to-date summary of the status and future prospective applications of micro- and nanocellulose-based scaffolds for tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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42 pages, 14563 KiB  
Review
A Review of Recent Advancements in Electrospun Anode Materials to Improve Rechargeable Lithium Battery Performance
by Byoung-Sun Lee
Polymers 2020, 12(9), 2035; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12092035 - 07 Sep 2020
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 9209
Abstract
Although lithium-ion batteries have already had a considerable impact on making our lives smarter, healthier, and cleaner by powering smartphones, wearable devices, and electric vehicles, demands for significant improvement in battery performance have grown with the continuous development of electronic devices. Developing novel [...] Read more.
Although lithium-ion batteries have already had a considerable impact on making our lives smarter, healthier, and cleaner by powering smartphones, wearable devices, and electric vehicles, demands for significant improvement in battery performance have grown with the continuous development of electronic devices. Developing novel anode materials offers one of the most promising routes to meet these demands and to resolve issues present in existing graphite anodes, such as a low theoretical capacity and poor rate capabilities. Significant improvements over current commercial batteries have been identified using the electrospinning process, owing to a simple processing technique and a wide variety of electrospinnable materials. It is important to understand previous work on nanofiber anode materials to establish strategies that encourage the implementation of current technological developments into commercial lithium-ion battery production, and to advance the design of novel nanofiber anode materials that will be used in the next-generation of batteries. This review identifies previous research into electrospun nanofiber anode materials based on the type of electrochemical reactions present and provides insights that can be used to improve conventional lithium-ion battery performances and to pioneer novel manufacturing routes that can successfully produce the next generation of batteries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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26 pages, 7515 KiB  
Review
A Review on Plant Cellulose Nanofibre-Based Aerogels for Biomedical Applications
by H.P.S. Abdul Khalil, A.S. Adnan, Esam Bashir Yahya, N.G. Olaiya, Safrida Safrida, Md. Sohrab Hossain, Venugopal Balakrishnan, Deepu A. Gopakumar, C.K. Abdullah, A.A. Oyekanmi and Daniel Pasquini
Polymers 2020, 12(8), 1759; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12081759 - 06 Aug 2020
Cited by 156 | Viewed by 12379
Abstract
Cellulose nanomaterials from plant fibre provide various potential applications (i.e., biomedical, automotive, packaging, etc.). The biomedical application of nanocellulose isolated from plant fibre, which is a carbohydrate-based source, is very viable in the 21st century. The essential characteristics of plant fibre-based nanocellulose, which [...] Read more.
Cellulose nanomaterials from plant fibre provide various potential applications (i.e., biomedical, automotive, packaging, etc.). The biomedical application of nanocellulose isolated from plant fibre, which is a carbohydrate-based source, is very viable in the 21st century. The essential characteristics of plant fibre-based nanocellulose, which include its molecular, tensile and mechanical properties, as well as its biodegradability potential, have been widely explored for functional materials in the preparation of aerogel. Plant cellulose nano fibre (CNF)-based aerogels are novel functional materials that have attracted remarkable interest. In recent years, CNF aerogel has been extensively used in the biomedical field due to its biocompatibility, renewability and biodegradability. The effective surface area of CNFs influences broad applications in biological and medical studies such as sustainable antibiotic delivery for wound healing, the preparation of scaffolds for tissue cultures, the development of drug delivery systems, biosensing and an antimicrobial film for wound healing. Many researchers have a growing interest in using CNF-based aerogels in the mentioned applications. The application of cellulose-based materials is widely reported in the literature. However, only a few studies discuss the potential of cellulose nanofibre aerogel in detail. The potential applications of CNF aerogel include composites, organic–inorganic hybrids, gels, foams, aerogels/xerogels, coatings and nano-paper, bioactive and wound dressing materials and bioconversion. The potential applications of CNF have rarely been a subject of extensive review. Thus, extensive studies to develop materials with cheaper and better properties, high prospects and effectiveness for many applications are the focus of the present work. The present review focuses on the evolution of aerogels via characterisation studies on the isolation of CNF-based aerogels. The study concludes with a description of the potential and challenges of developing sustainable materials for biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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20 pages, 4439 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances on Nanofiber Fabrications: Unconventional State-of-the-Art Spinning Techniques
by Jinkyu Song, Myungwoong Kim and Hoik Lee
Polymers 2020, 12(6), 1386; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12061386 - 20 Jun 2020
Cited by 51 | Viewed by 6934
Abstract
In this review, we describe recent relevant advances in the fabrication of polymeric nanofibers to address challenges in conventional approaches such as electrospinning, namely low throughput and productivity with low size uniformity, assembly with a regulated structure and even architecture, and location with [...] Read more.
In this review, we describe recent relevant advances in the fabrication of polymeric nanofibers to address challenges in conventional approaches such as electrospinning, namely low throughput and productivity with low size uniformity, assembly with a regulated structure and even architecture, and location with desired alignments and orientations. The efforts discussed have mainly been devoted to realize novel apparatus designed to resolve individual issues that have arisen, i.e., eliminating ejection tips of spinnerets in a simple electrospinning system by effective control of an applied electric field and by using mechanical force, introducing a uniquely designed spinning apparatus including a solution ejection system and a collection system, and employing particular processes using a ferroelectric material and reactive precursors for atomic layer deposition. The impact of these advances to ultimately attain a fabrication technique to solve all the issues simultaneously is highlighted with regard to manufacturing high-quality nanofibers with high- throughput and eventually, practically implementing the nanofibers in cutting-edge applications on an industrial scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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45 pages, 5672 KiB  
Review
Core–Shell Fibers: Design, Roles, and Controllable Release Strategies in Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery
by Muhammad Faiq Abdullah, Tamrin Nuge, Andri Andriyana, Bee Chin Ang and Farina Muhamad
Polymers 2019, 11(12), 2008; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11122008 - 04 Dec 2019
Cited by 71 | Viewed by 9616
Abstract
The key attributes of core–shell fibers are their ability to preserve bioactivity of incorporated-sensitive biomolecules (such as drug, protein, and growth factor) and subsequently control biomolecule release to the targeted microenvironments to achieve therapeutic effects. Such qualities are highly favorable for tissue engineering [...] Read more.
The key attributes of core–shell fibers are their ability to preserve bioactivity of incorporated-sensitive biomolecules (such as drug, protein, and growth factor) and subsequently control biomolecule release to the targeted microenvironments to achieve therapeutic effects. Such qualities are highly favorable for tissue engineering and drug delivery, and these features are not able to be offered by monolithic fibers. In this review, we begin with an overview on design requirement of core–shell fibers, followed by the summary of recent preparation methods of core–shell fibers, with focus on electrospinning-based techniques and other newly discovered fabrication approaches. We then highlight the importance and roles of core–shell fibers in tissue engineering and drug delivery, accompanied by thorough discussion on controllable release strategies of the incorporated bioactive molecules from the fibers. Ultimately, we touch on core–shell fibers-related challenges and offer perspectives on their future direction towards clinical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer Nanofibers)
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