Effect of carbon nanotubes dispersion on morphology, internal structure and thermal stability of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol)/carbon nanotubes nanofibers

The current work reports the effect of multi walled carbon nanotubes and single walled carbon nanotubes dispersion on morphological, structural and thermal degradation of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) (PVA/CNTs–SDS) composites nanofibers. (PVA/CNTs–SDS) nanocomposites fibers were elaborated using the traditional electrospinning process to disperse and align CNTs into the fibers, especially for low CNTs loading fraction: 0.3 and 0.7 wt%. The morphology of the electrospun fibers was studied using the scanning electronic microscopy. The average diameter of the fibers changes significantly after the incorporation of the CNTs in the PVA. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy elucidated the effect of CNTs on the crystallization of the PVA which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability of the composite fibers depends on the loading fraction and on the type of carbon nanotubes.     

Synthesis and characterization of nanocomposites films with graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanosheets

Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (CRGO), as a graphene derivatives, possess unique properties and a high aspect ratio, indicating great potential in nanocomposite fields. The present work reports the fabrication of the nanocomposite films by a simple and environmentally friendly process using aqueous solution and optimized time sonication for better exfoliation of the graphene sheets within Poly(Vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as matrix. The films were characterized using high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Microtensile testing, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TEM images revealed a successfully exfoliation of the GO/CRGO nanosheets. XRD combined with TGA and DSC measurements showed an improvement in the thermal stability and tunable thermal properties. In addition, the Young's modulus and tensile yield strength of the composite films containing 1 wt% GO were obtained to be 4.92 GPa and 66 MPa respectively. These excellent reinforcement effects were achieved by the strong interaction between the components.     

Synthesis of SnO2/ZnO composite nanofibers by electrospinning method and study of its ethanol sensing properties

In this paper, we report the synthesis of SnO₂/ZnO composite nanofibers via electrospinning method. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/zinc acetate/stannous chloride nanofibers were electrospun using a solution containing PVA, zinc acetate and stannous chloride in distilled-water followed by calcination at 650 °C for 2 h, obtaining the related composite nanofibers. The nanofibers were characterized by simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Ethanol sensing of the nanofibers showed a good and desirable sensing behavior such as high sensitivity, quick response and recovery times.     

Study on the Electrospinnability of Polyvinyl Alcohol Solutions by Using Water/N,N-dimethylacetamide or Water/N,N-dimethylformamide as Solvents

The electrospinning of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (99% hydrolysis degree) aqueous solution with added organic solvents N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) or N, N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) was investigated. After the addition of the organic solvents to the PVA aqueous solutions, the surface tension and conductivity decreased and the viscosity significantly increased, which caused an improved electrospinnability of the PVA solutions. The micro-structures of the three solutions were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic viscoelastic measurements. The DLS data revealed that the swelling of the PVA coils was slightly increased but the overlaps of PVA coils decreased greatly after one of the organic solvents was added to the aqueous solution. The DSC data showed both the water-rich phase and PVA-rich phase were destroyed and the solution became more homogenous after the addition due to the interaction between the organic solvent and water. Viscoelastic data showed there was an obvious difference in the storage modulus behavior between the aqueous solutions and the water/solvents solutions. These changes in the micro-structure and properties were the reason for the improved electrospinnability of the PVA solution. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the average diameter of the electrospun PVA nanofibers was about 308 nm for the DMF/water system, and 255 nm for the DMAC/water system, as compared with uneven diameter nanofibers for the water system.     

Electrospun nanofibers of NiO/SiO2 composite

Composite nanofibers with a weight ratio of 30%NiO-70%SiO₂ and diameters ranging from 80 to 100 nm were successfully prepared by electrospinning a precursor mixture of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/silica/nickel acetate followed by calcination treatment of the electrospun polymer/inorganic composite fibers. The resulting NiO/SiO₂ composite nanofibers were characterized by TG-DTA, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy . The results revealed that the crystalline phase of NiO nanoparticles were formed at a temperature higher than 600 °C. The SEM results show that the morphology of the fibers is affected greatly by the calcination temperature.     

Nanofibers and nanoplatelets of MoO3 via an electrospinning technique

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/ammonium molybdate composite fibers were prepared by using sol-gel processing and electrospinning technique. After calcinations of the above precursor fibers at 500 °C, MoO₃ nanofibers with a diameter of 100-150 nm were successfully obtained. MoO₃ nanoplatelets and submicron platelets were prepared by further calcinations of the MoO₃ nanofibers at 600 and 700 °C. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A possible growth mechanism for the MoO₃ nanofibers and nanoplatelets was suggested.     

Fabrication and characterization of bismuth oxide–holmia nanofibers and nanoceramics

In this article, a novel and simple method to produce both boron doped and undoped holmia stabilized bismuth oxide nanoceramic materials has been put forward. Boron doped and undoped poly (vinyl alcohol)/bismuth–holmia acetate nanofibers were produced using the electrospinning technique and were calcined at 850 °C afterward in order to obtain nanopowder. The characteristics of the nanofibers were investigated with FT-IR, XRD, and SEM. XRD analyses showed that boron undoped holmia stabilized bismuth oxide nanopowders have the face-centered cubic structure (δ-phase), and that the incorporation of boron atoms into the composite prevents the nucleus formation and turns the structure into a more amorphous glassy form. The SEM micrographs of the fibers showed that the addition of boron results in the formation of cross-linked bright-surfaced fibers. The average fiber diameters for electrospun boron doped and undoped PVA/Bi–Ho acetate nanofibers were calculated using the ImageJ software as 102 nm and 171 nm, respectively.     

Effect of sodium alginate modification of graphene (by ‘anion-π’ type of interaction) on the mechanical and thermal properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposites

Layered aligned dispersion of graphene in graphene/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposites is prepared in the form of films through simple solution processing route. The results indicate that there exist an interfacial interaction between PVA and graphene because of hydrogen bonding. This is responsible for the change in structure of PVA (such as decrease in the level of crystallization) and exhibiting ductile PVA nanocomposite film with improved tensile modulus, tensile strength, and thermal stability. Moreover, to improve the mechanical properties of PVA nanocomposites, graphene is successfully modified using a non-covalent modifier, sodium alginate (SA) and there exist an ‘anion-π’ type of interaction in between SA and graphene. The modification results in finer dispersion of the graphene in PVA/SA-m-graphene nanocomposites. In addition, there exist a hydrogen bonding in between PVA and SA. This has resulted in the remarkable improvement in mechanical properties of PVA/SA-m-graphene nanocomposites as compared to pure PVA and PVA/graphene nanocomposites. The increase in mechanical properties of PVA/SA-m-graphene nanocomposites is achieved through better load transfer from graphene to polymer matrix, despite decrease in crystallinity of PVA. Improvement in tensile modulus and tensile strength is highest at 0.5 wt.% of SA-modified graphene in PVA/SA-m-graphene nanocomposites because of finer dispersion of graphene and is 62 and 40% higher than that of pure PVA. Addition of SA-modified graphene also improves the thermal stability of PVA/SA-m-graphene nanocomposites remarkably as compared to unmodified graphene PVA nanocomposites.     

Fabrication of NiCo2O4 nanofibers by electrospinning

The spinel NiCo₂O₄ nanofibers with diameters of 50-100 nm were prepared by high temperature calcinations of a simple inorganic-polymer composite fibers, which were obtained by electrospinning of the PVA/cobalt acetate/nickel acetate composite precursor. The crystallinity, purity, and surface morphology of the as-prepared NiCo₂O₄ nanofibers were investigated by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, respectively.     

Influence of the ultrasound cavitation intensity on reduced graphene oxide functionalization

Graphene is a valuable and useful nanomaterial due to its exceptionally high tensile strength, electrical conductivity and transparency, as well as the ability to tune its materials properties via functionalization. One of the most important features needed to integrate functionalized graphene into products via scalable processing is the effectiveness of graphene dispersion in aqueous and organic solvents. In this study, we aimed to achieve the functionalization of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by sonication in a one-step process using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a model molecule to be bound to the rGO surface. We investigated the influence of the sonication energy on the efficacy of rGO functionalization. The correlation between the performance of the high-intensity ultrasonic horn and the synthesis of the PVA functionalized rGO was thoroughly investigated by TGA coupled with MS, and IR, Raman, XPS, Laser diffraction, and SEM analysis. The results show that the most soluble PVA-functionalized rGO is achieved at 50% of the ultrasonic horn amplitude. Analysis of cavitation dynamics revealed that in the near vicinity of the horn it is most aggressive at the highest amplitude (60%). This causes rGO flakes to break into smaller domains, which negatively affects the functionalization process. On the other hand, the maximum of the pressure pulsations far away from the horn is reached at 40% amplitude, as the pressure oscillations are attenuated significantly in the 2-phase flow region at higher amplitudes. These observations corelate well with the measured degree of functionalization, where the optimum functionalized rGO dispersion is reached at 50% horn amplitude, and generally imply that cavitation intensity must be carefully adjusted to achieve optimal rGO functionalization.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Fluorinated PBO With High Thermal Stability and Low Dielectric Constant

A series of novel fluorinated benzoxazole polymers (6FPBO) with high thermal stability and low dielectric constant were synthesized by copolymerization of 1,3-diamino-4, 6-dihydroxybenzene dihydrochloride (DAR), purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and various amount of 4′4-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) bis(benzoic acid) (BIS-B-AF) in the medium of polyphosphoric acid (PPA). 6FPBO fibers were then obtained via dry-jet wet-spinning technique and characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), broadband dielectric spectrometer, single fiber tensile testing machine, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The FTIR spectrum of 6FPBO fibers indicated that the fluorine groups were incorporated into PBO molecular chains successfully. TGA curves revealed that 6FPBO fibers possessed high thermal stability, just as pure PBO fibers. Moreover, the dielectric constant spectra of 6FPBO showed that the polymers had low dielectric constant, especially in the range of high-frequency.     

Surface functionalization, morphology and thermal properties of polyamide6/O-MMT composite nanofibers by Fe2O3 sputter coating

In the present work, the pure polyamide6 (PA6) nanofiber and PA6/organically modified montmorillonite (O-MMT) composite nanofiber were firstly prepared by a facile compounding process with electrospinning, and then coated by nanosize Fe₂O₃ using magnetron sputter technique. The effects of Fe₂O₃ sputter coating on structures, surface morphology and thermal stability were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), atomic force microscope (AFM) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), respectively. The SEM images showed that the diameters of composite nanofiber were decreased with the loadings of O-MMT and the nanosize Fe₂O₃ is well coated on the surface of the homogeneous and cylindrical nanofibers. The XPS spectra reflected the chemical features of the deposited nanostructures. The EDX confirmed the presence of the O-MMT and Fe₂O₃ in the fibers. The AFM observation revealed that there was a remarkable difference in the surface morphology of composite nanofiber before and after sputter coating. The TGA analysis indicated the barrier effects of silicate clay layers and catalysis effects of Fe₂O₃ improved thermal stability properties of the composite nanofiber.     

Fabrication and Optimization of Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Zirconium Acetate Electrospun Nanofibers Using Taguchi Experimental Design

This paper presents an investigation regarding poly(vinyl alcohol)/zirconium acetate (organic–inorganic) (PVA/Zrace) nanofibers prepared by electrospinning which could be used as a precursor for fabricating ceramic metal oxide nanofibers. The effect of some processing variables, including polymer solution concentration, tip to collector distance and applied voltage of electrospinning, and the amount of Zrace and their interactions, on the diameter of the nanofibers were studied. Taguchi experimental design and a statistical analysis (ANOVA) were employed and the relationship between experimental conditions and yield levels determined. It was concluded that to obtain a narrow diameter distribution as well as maximum fiber fineness, a polymer concentration of 10 wt%, tip to collector distance of 18 cm and applied voltage of 20 kV variables were the optimum. Furthermore, it was also concluded that the ratio of Zrace (6 g) to PVA solution (10% wt) played an important role for achieving the minimum fiber diameter. Under these optimum conditions, the diameters of the electrospun composite fibers ranged from 86 nm to 381 nm with a diameter average of 193 nm. The experiments were done with Qualitek-4 software with “smaller is better” as the quality characteristics. The optimized conditions showed an improvement in the fibers diameter distribution and the average fibers diameter showed good resemblance with the result predicted using the Taguchi method and the Qualitek-4 software. The ANOVA results showed that all factors had significant effects on the fibers diameter and distribution, but the effect of PVA concentration and zirconium acetate were more significant than the other factors.     

Preparation of LiCoO2 nanofibers by electrospinning technique

Using a sol-gel processing and electrospinning technique, extrathin fibers of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol)/lithium chloride/cobalt acetate composite were prepared. After calcinations of the above precursor fibers at 600°C, LiCoO₂ nanofibers with a diameter of 100-150 nm, were successfully obtained. Measurements of TG/DTA, IR, XRD, Raman, SEM, EDS, respectively, were performed to characterize the properties of the as-prepared materials. We observed a strong correlation between crystalline phase and morphology of the fibers and calcinations temperature.     

Manufacture and Characterization of Poly (butylene terephthalate) Nanofibers by Electrospinning

Poly (butylene terephthalate) (PBT) nanofiber mats were prepared by electrospinning, being directly deposited in the form of a random fibers web. The effect of changing processing parameters such as solution concentration and electrospinning voltage on the morphology of the electrospun PBT nanofibers was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrospun fibers diameter increased with rising concentration and decreased by increasing the electrospinning voltage, thermal and mechanical properties of electrospun fibers were characterized by DSC and tensile testing, respectively.     

Preparation and Characterization of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) (PVA)/SiO2, PVA/Sulfosuccinic Acid (SSA) and PVA/SiO2/SSA Membranes: A Comparative Study

Abstract

New organic–inorganic nanocomposites based on PVA, SiO₂ and SSA were prepared in a single step using a solution casting method, with the aim to improve the thermomechanical properties and ionic conductivity of PVA membranes. The structure, morphology, and properties of these membranes were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), water uptake (Wu) measurements and ionic conductivity measurements. The SAXS/WAXS analysis showed that the silica deposited in the form of small nanoparticles (～ 10?nm) in the PVA composites and it also revealed an appreciable crystallinity of pristine PVA membrane and PVA/SiO₂ membranes (decreasing with increasing silica loading), and an amorphous structure of PVA/SSA and PVA/SSA/SiO₂ membranes with high SSA loadings. The thermal and mechanical stability of the nanocomposite membranes increased with the increasing silica loading, and silica also decreased the water uptake of membranes. As expected, the ionic conductivity increased with increasing content of the SSA crosslinker, which is a donor of the hydrophilic sulfonic groups. Some of the PVA/SSA/SiO₂ membranes had a good balance between stability in aqueous environment (water uptake), thermomechanical stability and ionic conductivity and could be potential candidates for proton exchange membranes (PEM) in fuel cells.     

Preparation and characterization of Ag nanoparticle-embedded polymer electrospun nanofibers

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) nanofibers embedding Ag nanoparticles (5–18 nm) have been prepared successfully by electrospinning at room temperature. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform IR spectra (FTIR), and Raman scattering were used to characterize the structure and properties of Ag nanoparticle-embedded PVA and PVP nanofibers before and after heat treatment at different temperature. The antibacterial activity of Ag nanoparticle-embedded PVP nanofibers after heat treatment was also tested, which indicated that the biological activity of yeast cells was effectively inhibited by these Ag nanoparticle-embedded PVP nanofibers.     

Fabrication and characterization of electrospun orthorhombic InVO4 nanofibers

The novel orthorhombic InVO₄ nanofibers have been successfully synthesized by annealing electrospun precursor fibers. Citric acid was used as a ligand for it could react with metal salts to get a transparent homogeneous precursor solution and homogeneous precursor sol for electrospining. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP, K-30) was used as a binder and a structure guide reagent because it was one kind of water-soluble polymers. It is easy to gain one-dimensional materials while the viscosity of the citrate/PVP sol was suitable. The structure, morphology and photocatalytic properties of the nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, UV-vis spectrophotometer and fluorescence spectrophotometer. The nanofibers calcined at 700 °C were orthorhombic InVO₄ with a width in the range of 30-100 nm and length in micron-grade. This one-dimensional pure orthorhombic InVO₄ had the higher photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. The photo-degradation rate of nitrobenzene aqueous solution under visible light reached 69% after 6 h. It is obvious that the orthorhombic InVO₄ nanofibers have a potential application in wastewater-treatment.     

Thermal Decomposition Behavior of Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) with Different Hydroxyl Content

The thermal decomposition behavior of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with two different hydroxyl contents, 88 and 99%, was investigated. UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and TGA-FTIR were used to detect the volatile and nonvolatile products of the thermal decomposition of PVA. The results suggest that the PVA, after thermal treatment, can form chromophoric polyene structure, as well as carbonyl groups. The PVA with 88% hydroxyl content underwent slower decomposition below 280°C and generated water and carboxyl acid as the dominant volatile products, however, as for the PVA with 99% hydroxyl content, the dominant volatile products were water, unsaturated aldehydes, and other unsaturated compounds.     

Poly(m‐Phenylene Isophthalamide) Ultrafine Fibers from an Ionic Liquid Solution by Dry‐Jet‐Wet‐Electrospinning

Ultrafine poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) fibers from PMIA solution in an ionic liquid via dry‐jet‐wet electrospinning technology are described. The morphology of the fibers with and without treatment in a coagulation water bath in the dry‐jet‐wet‐electrosinning process was observed by scanning electrical microscopy (SEM) and a high resolution optical microscope. The crystal structure of the fibers was analyzed by wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD). The differences of morphologies and properties between the ultrafine fibers obtained by the electrospinning process and fibers from conventional wet‐spinning technology are discussed. The thermal properties of the ultrafine PMIA fibers were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).