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Intrinsically stretchable organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) have garnered significant attention as crucial devices for powering next‐generation wearable electronics. Despite the rapid power conversion efficiency gains in champion OPVs, their brittle stretchability has failed to meet the demands of the Internet of Things era, severely hindering further development and practical applications. In this regard, a new dual‐donor polymer blending strategy is demonstrated for constructing intrinsically stretchable OPVs by designing a novel high‐molecular–weight conjugated polymer PM6‐HD. This PM6 derivative featuring long alkyl chains can reach a sufficiently high molecular weight and thus exhibits a high fracture strain exceeding 90%, which is ≈12 times higher than the benchmark PM6. Synergistic optimization of mechanical properties and photovoltaic performance in polymer:small molecule and all‐polymer systems constructed from the physical blends of PM6 and PM6‐HD is achieved. Crucially, the resulting intrinsically stretchable OPV demonstrates excellent stretchability and stability, with a record PCE80% strain of 50.3% and the efficiency retention of above 80% even after 1000 cycles of cyclic stretching at high strains. This work contributes to the advancement of intrinsically stretchable OPV technology and opens up new possibilities for its integration into wearable electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fatty acid ternary eutectics such as capric-lauric-myristic acid, capric-lauric-palmitic acid, capric-lauric-stearic acid, capric-myristic-palmitic acid, capric-myristic-stearic acid, and capric-palmitic-stearic acid and quaternary eutectics such as capric-lauric-myristic-palmitic acid, capric-lauric-myristic-stearic acid, capric-lauric-palmitic-stearic acid, capric-myristic-palmitic-stearic acid, and lauric-myristic-palmitic-stearic acid were selected as solid-liquid phase-change materials (PCMs). And then the innovative ternary eutectic/polystyrene (PS)/ternary eutectic and ternary eutectic/PS/quaternary eutectic form-stable phase-change composite fibrous membranes (PCCFMs) were directly prepared by the co-electrospinning method under the same spinning parameters. The as-prepared form-stable PCCFMs exhibited three-dimensional fibrous network structure with the average fiber diameter of about 410–780 nm according to the scanning electron microscopy images. The adhesion among nanofiber intersections was observed occasionally. The differential scanning calorimetry results showed that fatty acid eutectics have been successfully combined into the form-stable PCCFMs, and their melting peak temperatures mostly ranged from 15°C to 21°C with a temperature interval of 1°C. Moreover, the phase-change enthalpies reached about 40–61 kJ kg−1. It is concluded that these electrospun form-stable PCCFMs with appropriate phase-change temperatures could be considered as potential PCMs to be applied in thermo-regulating fibers and textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eight kinds of fatty acid binary and ternary eutectics such as capric–lauric acid (CL), capric–myristic acid (CM), capric–palmitic acid (CP), capric–stearic acid (CS), capric–lauric–palmitic acid (CLP), capric–myristic–palmitic acid (CMP), capric–myristic–stearic acid (CMS), and capric–palmitic–stearic acid (CPS) were selected as solid–liquid PCMs in this paper. The innovative electrospun fatty acid binary eutectic/polystyrene/fatty acid ternary eutectic (i.e., CL/PS/CLP, CM/PS/CLP, CP/PS/CLP, CS/PS/CLP, CL/PS/CMS, CM/PS/CMS, CP/PS/CMS, CS/PS/CMS, CL/PS/CPS, CM/PS/CPS, CP/PS/CPS and CS/PS/CPS) and fatty acid ternary eutectic/polystyrene/fatty acid ternary eutectic (i.e., CLP/PS/CMP, CLP/PS/CMS, CLP/PS/CPS, CMP/PS/CMS, CMP/PS/CPS and CMS/PS/CPS) form-stable phase change composite fibrous membranes (PCCFMs) were fabricated by co-electrospinning. The morphological structure, phase change temperatures, and enthalpies were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. The SEM images showed that the PS-based phase change composite fibers were collected to form form-stable PCCFMs with the average fiber diameter of about 335–640 nm. The DSC analysis indicated that the melting peak temperatures of electrospun PS-based form-stable PCCFMs can be adjusted to 15–25 °C with the temperature interval of 1 °C by combining the both of fatty acid binary and ternary eutectics into the PS supporting fibers. These PS-based form-stable PCCFMs can be recommended for potential low-temperature thermal energy storage applications to regulate temperature and satisfy the human thermal comfortability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The Ag nanoparticles were used for improvement of heat transfer rates of PCCFMs. • The electrospun PAN/Ag-NPs fibrous membranes were selected as supporting materials. • The form-stable PCCFMs exhibited high phase change enthalpies about 138.1–156.7 kJkg−1. • The form-stable PCCFMs possessed suitable melting peak temperatures of about 24–30 °C. • The heat transfer rates were significantly improved due to the addition of Ag- NPs. Abstract Electrospun polyacrylonitrile/sliver nanoparticles (PAN/Ag-NPs) nanofibrous membranes were fabricated as supporting materials by direct dispersing Ag-NPs additives into PAN solutions. And then a series of form-stable phase change composite fibrous membranes (PCCFMs) were developed by physical adsorbing three different kinds of solid-liquid phase change materials (PCMs) with the melting temperatures of about 20–33 °C including butyl stearate (BS), capric-myristic acid binary eutectic (CA-MA), capric- palmitic-stearic acid ternary eutectic (CA-PA-SA) into electrospun PAN/Ag-NPs supporting membranes. The morphology and thermal properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimeter and measurement of melting and freezing times, respectively. DSC curves suggested that melting peak temperatures and enthalpies of the PAN/Ag-NPs-based form- stable PCCFMs were in the range of about 23.47–29.31 °C and 138.1–156.7 kJkg−1, respectively. Melting/freezing times were significantly shorten by about 29%/32% and 44%/52% for the BS/PAN/Ag-NPs5 and BS/PAN/Ag-NPs10 form-stable PCCFMs owing to the addition of Ag- NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The nano-graphite powder was used for improvement of heat transfer rates of PCCFMs. • The electrospun PAN/NG fibrous membranes were selected as supporting materials. • The form-stable PCCFMs possessed high phase change enthalpies about 120–139 kJ/kg. • The form-stable PCCFMs exhibited suitable melting temperatures of around 20–25 °C. • The melting and freezing times were significantly shortened due to the addition of NG. Abstract A series of electrospun polyacrylonitrile/nano-graphite (PAN/NG) composite fibrous membranes containing 0, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 30 wt% and 50 wt% of NG additive were successfully fabricated as supporting materials, and then their mechanical properties and thermal stability were characterized by mechanical testing and thermogravimetric analyses. The five kinds of fatty acid ternary eutectics (i.e., CA-LA-PA, CA-LA-SA, CA-MA-PA, CA-MA-SA and CA-PA-SA) with the melting peak temperatures of around 20–25 °C were used as phase change materials to develop the novel ternary eutectic/PAN/NG form-stable phase change composite fibrous membranes (PCCFMs) through physical adsorption method. Scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermal performance test were employed to investigate the morphological structure and thermal performances of the developed form-stable PCCFMs. The results indicated that the NG additive not only enhanced the mechanical properties of composite fibrous membranes, but also effectively improved their thermal stability when the weight percentage of the loaded NG in the membranes was controlled in the 10 wt%. The SEM images revealed that the different types of ternary eutectic could be uniformly dispersed into the three-dimensional porous network structure of electrospun PAN/NG fibrous membranes. The DSC analysis indicated that the presence of NG additive had no significant influence on the phase change temperatures and enthalpies of the ternary eutectic/PAN/NG form-stable PCCFMs. These membranes possessed high phase change enthalpies of about 120–139 kJ/kg and an applicable melting peak temperature range of around 20–25 °C. The thermal performance tests suggested that the required melting and freezing times of form-stable PCCFMs were obviously shortened due to the formation of the efficient three-dimensional thermally conductive networks comprised of the NG molecular chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is focused on the fabrication and characterisation of morphological structures, thermal and mechanical properties of electrospun methyl stearate (MES)/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) composite nanofibres as form-stable phase change materials. Field-emission scanning electron microscope images illustrated that the MES component was well dispersed and encapsulated into the three-dimension porous network structure of the PET supporting matrices during the electrospinning process. Maximum weight percentage of the MES combined in composite nanofibres was found as 50 wt.% without the leakage of MES in liquid state even when it was heated over the melting temperature of MES powder. FTIR analysis revealed no chemical reactions between the MES molecules and the PET molecules. From differential scanning calorimetry analysis, electrospun MES/PET phase change composite nanofibres with different mass ratios processed appropriate phase transition temperatures of about 19–47 °C, and the maximum melting and freezing enthalpies could reach up to 90.43 and 88.03 kJ/kg, respectively. Thermogravimetric analyses’ results suggested that electrospun MES/PET phase change composite nanofibres exhibited good thermal stability during the phase change temperature range, and their thermal stability was improved due to the introduction of PET supporting matrices having the better thermal stability. In addition, the results of tensile testing indicated that electrospun MES/PET phase change composite nanofibres gradually lost ductile and exhibited smaller elongations with the increase in MES content, whereas their tensile strength showed an increased tendency from 6.0 to 7.8 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five kinds of pure fatty acids such as capric acid (CA), lauric acid (LA), myristic acid (MA), palmitic acid (PA) and stearic acid (SA) were selected to prepare quaternary eutectics of CA-LA-MA-PA, CA-LA-MA-SA, CA-LA-PA-SA, CA-MA-PA-SA and LA-MA-PA-SA as novel solid-liquid PCMs. Ag-coated electrospun polyurethane (PU) fibrous membranes selecting as supporting materials were then fabricated by depositing Ag nanoparticles on the surface of electrospun PU fibers through magnetron sputtering. Thereafter, a series of innovative form-stable PCMs based on the composites of Ag-coated PU fibrous membranes and quaternary eutectics were successfully prepared by physical absorption. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis demonstrated that the Ag nanolayers were uniformly covered on the surface of PU fibers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra suggested that there was no chemical reaction between quaternary eutectics and Ag-coated PU fibrous membranes. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that quaternary eutectics were adsorbed and encapsulated into three-dimensional porous network structures of Ag-coated PU fibrous membranes after physical absorption. Differential scanning calorimetry curves indicated that quaternary eutectics exhibited lower phase change temperatures compared with those of individual fatty acids and binary eutectics. Onset melting temperatures and enthalpies of Ag-coated composite fibrous membranes were in the range of about 14-29 °C and 95-118 kJ kg, respectively. These composite fibrous membranes had good thermal reliability, and their adsorption capabilities were around at 71-91%. Thermal performance tests showed that the quaternary eutectics/PU/Ag composite fibrous membranes processed higher heat transfer efficiency owing to the incorporation of the Ag nanolayers with excellent thermal conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel quinary fatty acid eutectic (CA-LA-MA-PA-SA) of capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid was successfully prepared with the mass ratio of 61.09/24.61/8.13/4.01/2.16. Thereafter, the innovative Ag-coated polyurethane (PU) fibers membranes with different concentrations of Ag, which were selected as a supporting material to adsorb the CA-LA-MA-PA-SA eutectics, were successfully fabricated through electrospinning followed by magnetron sputter. The energy dispersive X-ray confirmed that Ag nanoclusters were successfully deposited on the surface of PU fibers as a result of sputter coating. The observations of atomic force microscope indicated that the surface roughness of the PU fibers significantly increased with increase in coating time. The scanning electron microscope images demonstrated that the CA-LA-MA-PA-SA eutectics were uniformly distributed into the three-dimensional porous structures of uncoated and Ag-coated PU fibers membranes. Furthermore, the differential scanning calorimeter curves suggested that the CA-LA-MA-PA-SA/PU/Ag composites phase change materials (PCMs) possessed melting enthalpies about 110 kJ/kg and melting temperature around 17 °C. The absorption ratios of the CA-LA-MA-PA-SA eutectic in composite PCMs was approximately at 73.74%–83.18%. The investigation on thermal performance indicated that we achieved higher melting and freezing rates of the CA-LA-MA-PA-SA/PU/Ag composites PCMs by increasing coating time. In addition to this, after depositing Ag nanoparticles the melting and freezing times of composites PCMs were shortened to about 21%–65%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophobic electrospun polystyrene (PS) nanofibrous membranes were developed for desalination using the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) technique. These membranes were prepared from electrospinning of PS solutions in N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) with the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a processing aid. Effects of membrane thickness and fiber diameter on the average pore size and pore size distribution of nanofibrous membranes were systematically studied by capillary flow porometer (CFP), whereas the water contact angle and membrane porosity of these membranes were determined by contact angle meter (CAM) and gravimetric method, respectively. The resulting flux rate and permeate water quality (determined by conductivity) of membranes with different thicknesses and mean pore sizes from DCMD measurements were compared with those of commercially available polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes using four different feed solutions, including distilled water, simulated brackish water, 35 g/L NaCl solution and seawater. Effects of flow rates (i.e., 0.2 GPM, 0.3 GPM and 0.4 GPM) and feed solution temperatures (i.e., 70 °C, 80 °C and 90 °C) on the flux rate and permeate conductivity of the optimized PS nanofibrous membrane (with a mean pore size about 0.19 µm) were further investigated during a continuous 10 h DCMD operation. Additionally, the mass and heat transfer coefficients of the optimized nanofibrous membranes in the DCMD operation were calculated. The results indicated that hydrophobic PS nanofibrous membranes can be produced by electrospinning for desalination by the DCMD method, leading to some unique opportunities in off the grid applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrated a novel magnetron sputtering method used for the improvement in thermal energy storage and retrieval rates of phase change materials (PCMs). The ten types of ternary fatty acid eutectics (i.e., CA-LA-MA, CA-LA-PA, CA-LA-SA, CA-MA-PA, CA-MA-SA, CA-PA-SA, LA-MA-PA, LA-MA-SA, LA-PA-SA and MA-PA-SA) were firstly prepared using five fatty acids such as capric acid (CA), lauric acid (LA), myristic acid (MA), palmitic acid (PA) and stearic acid (SA) and then selected as solid-liquid PCMs. Thereafter, magnetron sputter coating was used to deposit the functional silver (Ag) nanolayers onto the surface of electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous mats serving as supporting skeleton. Finally, a series of composite PCMs were fabricated by adsorbing the prepared ternary eutectics into three-dimensional porous network structures of Ag-coated PAN membranes. The observations by EDX determined the formation of Ag nanolayers on the PAN nanofibers surface after magnetron sputtering. The SEM images illustrated that the Ag-coated PAN nanofibers appeared to have larger fiber diameter and rougher surface. Ag-coated PAN nanofibrous mats could effectively prevent the leakage of molten ternary eutectics and help maintain form-stable structure due to surface tension forces, capillary and nanoconfinement effects. The DSC results suggested that the phase change temperatures of the ternary fatty acid eutectics were obviously lower than those of individual fatty acids and their binary eutectics. The adsorption rates of ternary fatty acid eutectics in the composite PCMs were determined to be about 89-98 %. The thermal performance test indicated that the metallic coating of Ag dramatically improved the thermal energy storage and retrieval rates of the composite PCMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a novel PAN-based form-stable composite phase change materials with the methyl stearate (MES) encapsulated in the supporting matrices of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were fabricated through electrospunning for the storage and retrieval of thermal energy. Influences of graphene oxide (GO) addition on the chemical properties, structural morphologies, mechanical properties, thermal energy storage properties, thermal stability, and thermal energy storage/retrieval rates of electrospun MES/PAN/GO phase change composite nanofibers were systematically investigated by FT-IR, FE-SEM, tensile testing, DSC, TG, and measurement of melting/freezing times, respectively. The results revealed that the incorporation of GO effectively enhanced the mechanical properties, thermal stability, as well as heat storage and release rates of the phase change composite nanofibers. The averaged tensile strength of electrospun MES/PAN/GO phase change composite nanofibers increased significantly by 573 % with 10 mass% loading of GO, while elongation at break had a maximum 107 % increment when adding 3 mass% of GO. The DSC results indicated that the electrospun PAN-based phase change composite nanofibers with various GO loadings had suitable phase transition temperatures with the latent heat ranging from about 92 to 109 kJ kg and exhibited good thermal reliability in terms of DSC measurements during 50 melting-freezing cycles. Moreover, the melting and freezing time were significantly decreased about 44 and 43 % for the MES/PAN/GO5, as well as 59 and 64 % for the MES/PAN/GO10 after introducing the GO into the composite nanofibers systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative type of nanofibers-based form-stable composite phase change materials for the storage and retrieval of thermal energy was successfully prepared by encapsulating glycerol monostearate (GMS) into the porous structure of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-supporting matrices on the nanoscale through electrospinning. The field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the composite nanofibers possessed desired morphologies with the average fiber diameters ranging from about 290 to 1000 nm which increased with the contents of GMS. The two phase separation (e.g., GMS phase and PET phase) was clearly observed from the images. When GMS content reached 60 %, the amount of the GMS distributing on the surface of the composite nanofibers was significantly increased during the electrospinning. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum proved that the PET supporting matrices were physically combined with GMS molecules. The differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated that the GMS/PET composite nanofibers had reversible phase change behaviors, and the melting enthalpies increased from 32.63 to 66.99 kJ kg with increasing GMS amount. The TG results showed that both the onset thermal degradation temperature and charred residue of the GMS/PET composite nanofibers at 700 °C were higher than those of pristine GMS powder owing to the better thermal stability of the PET molecules. The tensile testing revealed that the averaged tensile strength and elongation at break of the all GMS/PET composite nanofibers varied from 3.29 to 10.30 MPa and from 2.42 to 42.30 %, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY In this study, four fatty acids of lauric acid (LA), myristic acid (MA), palmitic acid (PA), and stearic acid (SA) were selected to prepare six binary fatty acid eutectics of LA-MA, LA-PA, LA-SA, MA-PA, MA-SA, and PA-SA; thereafter, electrospun ultrafine composite fibers with the binary fatty acid eutectics encapsulated in the supporting matrices of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were prepared as innovative form-stable phase change materials for storage and retrieval of thermal energy. The morphological structures and thermal energy storage properties of the ultrafine composite fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), respectively. The SEM results indicated that the fibers had the cylindrical morphology with diameters of 1-2 µm; some had smooth surfaces, while others had wrinkled surfaces with grooves. The DSC results indicated that the phase transition temperatures of binary fatty acid eutectics were lower than those of individual fatty acids; the enthalpy values associated with melting and crystallization for the eutectics encapsulated in the composite fibers were considerably reduced, whereas there were no appreciable changes on the phase transition temperatures. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ultrafine composite fibers based on the composites of binary fatty acid eutectics and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with varied fatty acid eutectics/PET mass ratios (50/100, 70/100, 100/100 and 120/100) were fabricated using the technique of electrospinning as form-stable phase change materials (PCMs). The five binary fatty acid eutectics including LA–MA, LA–PA, MA–PA, MA–SA and PA–SA were prepared according to Schrader equation, and then were selected as an innovative type of solid–liquid PCMs. The results characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) indicated that the prepared binary fatty acid eutectics with low phase transition temperatures and high heat enthalpies for climatic requirements were more suitable for applications in building energy storage. The structural morphologies, thermal energy storage and thermal stability properties of the ultrafine composite fibers were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), DSC and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. SEM images revealed that the electrospun binary fatty acid eutectics/PET ultrafine composite fibers possessed the wrinkled surfaces morphologies compared with the neat PET fibers with cylindrical shape and smooth surfaces; the grooves or ridges on the corrugated surface of the ultrafine composite fibers became more and more prominent with increasing fatty acid eutectics amount in the composite fibers. The fibers with the low mass ratio maintained good structural morphologies while the quality became worse when the mass ratio is too high (more than 100/100). DSC measurements suggested that the heat enthalpies of melting and crystallization of the ultrafine composite fibers increased gradually with increasing fatty acid eutectics amounts, but their phase transition temperatures had almost no obvious variation as relative to the corresponding fatty acid eutectics. Meanwhile, the characteristic temperatures and heat enthalpies of the ultrafine composite fibers varied with the different types of binary fatty acid eutectics. TGA results indicated that the degradation of electrospun binary fatty acid eutectics/PET ultrafine composite fibers with representative mass ratio of 100/100 had two steps and corresponded respectively to the degradations of binary fatty acid eutectics and PET polymer chains; and the charred residue at 700°C of the composite fibers was lower than that of the neat PET fibers. It could be envisioned that the electrospun binary fatty acid eutectics/PET composite fibers would be extensively used for latent heat storage in the field of building energy conservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The ultrafine composite fibers consisting of lauric acid (LA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and silica nanoparticles (nano-SiO2) were prepared through the materials processing technique of electrospinning as an innovative type of form-stable phase change materials (PCMs). The effects of nano-SiO2 on morphology, thermal energy storage, thermal stability, and combustion properties of electrospun LA/PET/SiO2 composite fibers were studied. SEM images revealed that the LA/PET/SiO2 composite fibers with nano-SiO2 possessed desired morphologies with reduced average fiber diameters as compared to the LA/PET fibers without nano-SiO2. DSC measurements indicated that the amount of nano-SiO2 in the fibers had an influence on the crystallization of LA, and played an important role on the heat enthalpies of the composite fibers; while it had no appreciable effect on the phase change temperatures. TGA results suggested that the incorporation of nano-SiO2 increased the onset thermal degradation temperature, maximum weight loss temperature, and charred residue at 700°C of the composite fibers, indicating the improved thermal stability of the fibers. MCC tests showed that the heat resistance effect and/or barrier property generated by nano-SiO2 resulted in an increase of initial combustion temperature and a decrease of the heat release rate for the electrospun ultrafine composite fibers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Owing to the multi-dimensional complexity of human motions, traditional uniaxial strain sensors lack the accuracy in monitoring dynamic body motions working in different directions, thus multidirectional strain sensors with excellent electromechanical performance are urgently in need. Towards this goal, in this work, a stretchable biaxial strain sensor based on double elastic fabric (DEF) was developed by incorporating carboxylic multi-walled carbon nanotubes(c-MWCNTs) and polypyrrole (PPy) into fabric through simple, scalable soaking and adsorption-oxidizing methods. The fabricated DEF/c-MWCNTs/PPy strain sensor exhibited outstanding anisotropic strain sensing performance, including relatively high sensitivity with the maximum gauge factor (GF) of 5.2, good stretchability of over 80%, fast response time < 100 ms, favorable electromechanical stability, and durability for over 800 stretching–releasing cycles. Moreover, applications of DEF/c-MWCNTs/PPy strain sensor for wearable devices were also reported, which were used for detecting human subtle motions and dynamic large-scale motions. The unconventional applications of DEF/c-MWCNTs/PPy strain sensor were also demonstrated by monitoring complex multi-degrees-of-freedom synovial joint motions of human body, such as neck and shoulder movements, suggesting that such materials showed a great potential to be applied in wearable electronics and personal healthcare monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High specific surface area (SSA) (241.1 m2 g−1) with robust pores conductive composite nanofibers are prepared. • Superior capacity performance of 2048 and 1712 mAh g−1 for the 1st and after 500th cycles were achieved. • Stable structure with low volume expansion even after long cycling (500th) was presented. Volume expansion is one of the challenges of hindering the implementation of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this respect, the RGO/NiCo 2 O 4 @carbon composite nanofibers (RGO/NCO@C) derived from metal-organic frameworks are developed by an effective in-situ growth, electrospinning and assisted procedure of calcination. The NiCo 2 O 4 particles anchor on the carbon nanofibers that decorated with the graphene sheets to form a bead-like structure, which endows the anode material with large specific surface area (SSA), massive pore structures and desirable mechanical strength. Benefiting from above excellent physical properties, the composite nanofibers greatly relief the volume expansion and efficiently shorten the Li-ion diffusion path. As a result, superior cyclability and great rate capability are obtained upon using as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. An extremely high reversible charge capacity of 2048 mAh g−1 is achieved in the first cycle, and capacity retention of 1712 mAh g−1 is retained after 500 cycles at 0.3 A g−1. Under various current densities ranging from 0.3 to 2 A g−1, the reversible capacity of 1783 mAh g−1 at 0.3 A g−1 is sustained. The proposed method and developed materials herein offer an effective strategy to overcoming the volume expansion and preparing electrode materials for high performance LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a printing strategy was proposed and expended, which allows fabricating diverse geometries of cellular continuous fiber-reinforced composites (CFRCs) with fiber distribution and interlacement in the cellular structure uniformly. A class of printed triangle-filled cellular structure composites was prepared to present the detail of the printing strategy. The effects of printing and structural parameters on the mechanical properties, as well as shape memory performance of printed CFRCs, were studied precisely, and thereafter, a Finite Element (FE) model was developed on the basis of the printing path to stimulate and analyze the tensile process. Experimental results showed that introducing only 3.8% fiber content into the composite can significantly improve the tensile strength by more than 300%. An increment of cell length was capable of strengthening tensile features compellingly due to changing orientation and alignment degree of fiber in the structure. By contrast, sizing the cell length and embedding further fiber have represented a reverse pattern against the composite's shape recovery ratio, which witnessed an adverse impact on shape-changing materials. A conclusion was given that the mechanical properties and shape memory effect of the 3D-printed continuous fiber-reinforced composite can be optimized by adjusting the geometric parameters and fiber content. Unlabelled Image • Evenly distributing fibers in continuous fiber-reinforced cellular structure composites by a unique 3D printing method. • Investigating the role of printing and structural parameters on the mechanical properties and shape memory performance. • The tensile failure mode of continuous fiber-reinforced cellular structure composites was analyzed. • The feature of the fiber-reinforced composite can be optimized by regulating the cellular structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the need for self-disinfecting materials that can be used to reduce the surface transmission of harmful microbes to healthy hosts, here we prepared a photodynamic antimicrobial membrane comprised of electrospun cellulose diacetate (CA) microfibers into which the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) was in situ embedded. The resultant porous PpIX-embedded CA (PpIX/CA) microfibrous membranes were prepared with two different photosensitizer loadings: 5 and 10 wt% PpIX with respect to CA (85 and 170 nmol PpIX/mg membrane, respectively). The singlet oxygen (1O 2) generated by the embedded photosensitizer was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic studies through generation of the TEMPO radical, and its photooxidation efficiency was further investigated using potassium iodide as a model substrate. Antibacterial photodynamic inactivation studies showed that the PpIX/CA membrane achieved a 99.8% reduction in Gram-positive S. aureus after illumination (Xe lamp, 65 ± 5 mW/cm2, λ ≥ 420 nm; 30 min), with a lower level of reduction (86.6%) for Gram-negative E. coli. Potentiation with potassium iodide was found to be an effective way to further enhance the antimicrobial efficacy of the PpIX/CA microfibrous membrane, achieving 99.9999% (6 log units) inactivation of both S. aureus and E. coli in the presence of 25 and 100 mM KI, respectively. These findings indicate that the electrospun CA microfibrous membrane is an ideal matrix for a photosensitizer such as PpIX to be embedded and effectively sensitized upon visible light illumination, and its antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation efficiency could be strongly enhanced with the increased KI addition, showing a promising future for its use in pathogen transmission defensive materials. Unlabelled Image • Porous protoporphyrin IX-embedded cellulose diacetate microfibers were electrospun • The generation of singlet oxygen (1O 2) was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic studies • The membrane achieved the photodynamic inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus by 99.8+% and Escherichia coli by 86.6% • Potassium iodide potentiated the antimicrobial efficacy (99.9999%) of the membrane [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretchable electrodes are critical to the development of advanced technologies such as human–machine interaction, flexible sensing, and wearable power supply, making them of significant research value. However, the current preparation methods for high‐performance stretchable electrodes are complex and inefficient, posing challenges for their large‐scale application in the realm of flexible wearables. To address this need, a straightforward and efficient embedding strategy is reported for fabricating stretchable silver nanowire/thermoplastic elastomer composite electrodes (referred to as Strem‐AT) utilizing the viscoelasticity and outstanding mechanical properties of polymer elastomers to achieve outstanding extensibility, conductivity, and a smooth surface. These electrodes exhibit excellent tensile behavior, low surface roughness, and stable electrical properties, enabling their successful integration into stretchable sensors and intrinsically stretchable organic photovoltaic cells (IS‐OPV). When applied to human skin joints for motion detection, the sensor demonstrates remarkable stretchability and stable signal output. Importantly, the all‐polymer IS‐OPV exhibits a top‐notch power conversion efficiency (PCE) of >12.5% and a PCE80% strain exceeding 50%. Furthermore, even after subjecting high‐strain stretching at 50% for 1000 cycles, the IS‐OPV can retain 76% of the initial PCE. This study presents a multifunctional stretchable electrode with high repeatability and easy‐to‐scale fabrication in wearable sensors and photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Co-electrospinning method was used for regulating phase change temperature. • Fatty acid eutectic/PS/fatty acid eutectic form-stable PCCFMs were developed. • Melting peak temperatures were about 17–24 °C with the 1 °C temperature interval. • Phase change enthalpies of form-stable PCCFMs were approximately 41–60 kJkg−1. • The membranes were more suitable to use in thermo-regulating fibers and textiles. The seven kinds of fatty acid eutectics including capric-lauric acid (CL), capric-myristic acid (CM), capric-palmitic acid (CP), capric-stearic acid (CS), capric-lauric-myristic acid (CLM), capric-lauric-stearic acid (CLS) and capric-myristic-palmitic acid (CMP) were selected as solid-liquid PCMs. And then co-electrospinning method was used to produce and design innovative fatty acid binary eutectic/polystyrene/fatty acid binary eutectic (i.e., CL/PS/CL, CM/PS/CM, CP/PS/CP, CS/PS/CS, CL/PS/CM, CL/PS/CP, CL/PS/CS, CM/PS/CP, CM/PS/CS and CP/PS/CS) and fatty acid binary eutectic/polystyrene/fatty acid ternary eutectic (i.e., CL/PS/CLM, CM/PS/CLM, CP/PS/CLM, CS/PS/CLM, CL/PS/CLS, CM/PS/CLS, CP/PS/CLS, CS/PS/CLS, CL/PS/CMP, CM/PS/CMP, CP/PS/CMP and CS/PS/CMP) form-stable phase change composite fibrous membranes (PCCFMs) with the melting peak temperatures ranging from about 17 to 24 °C with the temperature interval of 1 °C. The scanning electron microscope images revealed that these electrospun PS-based form-stable PCCFMs exhibited well and stable nanofibrous network structure. The differential scanning calorimetry results indicated that the phase change temperatures of electrospun PS-based form-stable PCCFMs could be regulated to the lower temperature range by changing the type of the loaded fatty acid binary and ternary eutectics, and their phase change enthalpies were approximately 41–60 kJ/kg. Based on the consideration of phase change temperatures, the developed electrospun PS-based form-stable PCCFMs could be more suitable to use in temperature-regulated fibers and textiles as well as energy efficiency building applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, innovative capric–palmitic–stearic acid ternary eutectic/polyacrylonitrile/aluminum oxide (CA–PA–SA/PAN/Al2O3) form-stable phase change composite fibrous membranes (PCCFMs) with different mass ratios of Al2O3 nanoparticles were prepared for thermal energy storage. The influences of Al2O3 nanoparticles on morphology and thermal performances of the form-stable PCCFMs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and measurement of melting and freezing times, respectively. The results showed that there was no apparent leakage trace from the SEM observation. The DSC analysis indicated that the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles had no significant effect on phase transition temperatures and enthalpies of the CA–PA–SA/PAN/Al2O3 form-stable PCCFMs. The melting peak temperatures and melting enthalpies of form-stable PCCFMs were about 25 °C and 131–139 kJ/kg, respectively. The melting and freezing times of the CA–PA–SA/PAN/Al2O310 form-stable PCCFMs were shortened by approximately 21% and 23%, respectively, compared with those of the CA–PA–SA/PAN form-stable PCCFMs due to the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles acting as heat transfer fillers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to fabricate a multifunctional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding composite fabric with simultaneous high-efficiency photothermal conversion and Joule heating performances. Design/methodology/approach: A multifunctional polypyrrole (PPy) hydrogel/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/cotton EMI shielding composite fabric (hereafter denoted as PHMC) was prepared by loading MWCNT onto tannin-treated cotton fabric, followed by in situ crosslinking-polymerization to synthesize three-dimensional (3D) conductive networked PPy hydrogel on the surface of MWCNT-coated cotton fabric. Findings: Benefiting from the unique interconnected 3D networked conductive structure of PPy hydrogel, the obtained PHMC exhibited a high EMI-shielding effectiveness vale of 48 dB (the absorbing electromagnetic wave accounted for 84%) within a large frequency range (8.2–12.4 GHz). Moreover, the temperature of the laminated fabric reached 54°C within 900 s under 15 V, and it required more than 100 s to return to room temperature (28.7°C). When the light intensity was adjusted to 150 mW/cm2, the PHMC temperature was about 38.2°C after lighting for 900 s, indicating high-efficiency electro-photothermal effect function. Originality/value: This paper provides a novel strategy for designing a type of multifunctional EMI shielding composite fabric with great promise for wearable smart garments, EMI shielding and personal heating applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Introducing Poly[nitrilo(diphenoxyphosphoranylidyne)] (PDPP) additive into green anti-solvent. • PDPP simultaneously form covalent bonds (Pb-O), halogen bonds (P-I) and hydrogen bonds (N...H) with MAPbI 3. • The ultimate air-processed perovskite solar cell displays 21.36% PCE. • The un-encapsulated PDPP-modified device demonstrates excellent multivariate stability. Because numerous adverse factors, such as unsuitable humidity and oxygen atmosphere, usually lead to imperfect perovskite crystallization and various surface defects, thus the perovskite films are susceptible to corrosion during their open-air environment preparation. Which severely reduce both the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of ultimate device. Hence, in order to precisely alter the MAPbI 3 perovskite layer, a polymer passivation technique is used via adding Poly[nitrilo(diphenoxyphosphoranylidyne)] (PDPP) additive into green anti-solvent. PDPP not only possesses the flexibility of common polymer long chains, but also one of the few substances that can simultaneously form covalent bonds (Pb-O), halogen bonds (P-I) and hydrogen bonds (N...H) with perovskite lattices to inhibit the generation of vacancies. The high-quality perovskite thin films can profoundly enhance the photoelectricity performance of PSCs. PDPP also has certain electrical activity, hydrophobic properties and strong thermal stability, which beneficial for improving the stability of ultimate device. As a result, the air-processed PDPP-passivated optimal device (non-encapsulated) obtain 21.36% champion PCE and excellent multivariate stability (including humidity, temperature, sunlight exposure and bending). This straightforward, environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach can pave the way of its applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • BCPC was fabricated by in-situ self-assembly and MOF-immobilized Lac strategies. • The amount of laccase immobilized on aerogel was 198.15 mg/g, showing high activity. • The designed BCPC has excellent use and storage stability and reusability. • The degradation rates of the BCPC for MB and RB reached 100 % and 96.1 % within 10 min. • The degradation rate of BCPC remained above 75% after repeated use for 10 times. To achieve efficient dye degradation, we reported a visible light-driven biomass photo-enzyme coupled system, which was constructed by assembling g-C 3 N 4 during in situ culture and immobilizing laccase via metal–organic framework (MOF). Benefited from the network and porous structure of bacterial cellulose (BC), the g-C 3 N 4 could be stably interspersed, and MOF grew g-C 3 N 4 /BC to encapsulate laccase. BC improves the reusability of the system, while combined with MOF encapsulation, avoiding direct contact between photo- and enzyme- catalysts. Importantly, thanks to the existence of electron transfer from photocatalysis to enzyme, the photogenerated electron hole recombination within the photocatalyst reduced, improving catalyzed reaction efficiency. The degradation efficiency of the catalysis system within 10 min for methylene blue and rhodamine B could reach 100 % and 96.1 %, respectively, which could rapidly degrade dye and recycle for more than 10 times. This research can shine new light on the development of advanced wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state zinc‐air batteries (ZABs) are regarded as one of the most promising flexible energy storage systems for wearable electronic devices beyond lithium‐ion batteries. Unfortunately, continuous water loss of electrolyte and zinc electrode corrosion severely limit service life of ZABs. Herein, a "water‐in‐salt" (WIS) nonalkaline gel polymer electrolyte with a double network (polyacrylic acid and cellulose nanofibers) is prepared in one step via UV light‐initiated free radical polymerization. The WIS electrolyte is realized by coordination interactions between zinc trifluoromethylsulfonate and acetamide and exhibits extraordinary thermodynamic stability. Benefiting from strong interactions between water and other components, the electrolyte can capture water from ambient air and realize dynamic balance of adsorption and desorption. Therefore, flexible ZAB achieves an ultra‐long cycle time of 1300 h. In addition, the gel polymer electrolyte possesses excellent adhesion property and can be tightly bonded to the electrodes without fixation measures. The fabricated sandwich‐ and cable‐type batteries adapt to complex deformations without sacrificing electrochemical performance, which demonstrates enormous potential for practical wearable applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the quaternization and butyrylation on the sizing properties of biological starch macromolecule was evaluated for acquiring a new starch bio-based size [quaternized-butyrylated starch (QBS)]. The sizing properties of granular QBS samples were investigated in comparison with acid-thinned starch (ATS) and quaternized starch (QS). The QBS samples with a DS range of 0.029–0.0779 exhibited bonding strengths of 17.0–18.3 cN/tex to cotton fibers [15.5 cN/tex (ATS, DS = 0) and 16.6 cN/tex (QS, DS = 0.0240)] and 31.0–34.3 cN/tex to polyester fibers [28.0 cN/tex (ATS) and 30.1 cN/tex (QS)], and their films showed breaking elongations of 2.99–3.51% [2.59% (ATS) and 2.81% (QS)] and tensile strengths of 36.5–32.1 MPa [38.1 MPa (ATS) and 37.3 MPa (QS)]. Compared with QS, significantly increased bonding strengths as well as obviously decreased strengths and increased elongations of the films for the QBS samples with the total DS ≥ 0.0635 were exhibited. As increasing the modification levels from 0.029 to 0.0779, QBS presented paste stabilities from 90.4% to 85.7% which met with the requirement in warp sizing, and displayed higher desizing efficiencies (93.2–93.8%) than ATS (91.5%) and QS (90.2%). Based on these results, the amphiphilic quaternization-butyrylation was a good means for starch to acquire good sizing properties. [Display omitted] • Relationship of structure-properties of QBS is revealed. • QBS is superior to ATS and QS in the adhesion to cotton and polyester fibers. • QBS film displays a lower brittleness compared with ATS and QS films. • QBS possesses good paste stability and desizability. • QBS shows potential use in cotton and polyester warp sizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexible nitrogen (N) doped TiO2/C nanofibrous film (NTCf) was fabricated by a combination of electrospinning and annealing treatment. The BET surface area of the NTCf increases, reaches largest value, and then decreases slightly with increasing of N. And the NTCf-20 has a maximum BET surface area of 175.60 m2·g−1. These are beneficial to the absorption of dye by the photocatalyst. At the same time, the N doping could increase the light absorption of TiO2 and is favorable to the charges transfer of the carbon nanofibers, resulting in improving the photocatalytic activity of NTCf under visible light. As a result, all the NTCf showed excellent photocatalytic performance. Moreover, with the increase of N concentration, the photocatalytic activity of the NTCf increased, reaching the largest value before decreasing. And the highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) was about 99.1% for 1 h by using NTCf-20. After that, the NTCf film was stuck on organza fabric to form a photocatalytic fabric by hot pressing. And the photocatalytic fabric with degradation efficiency of 98.5% was easily separated from the dye solution and possessed excellent reusability. It has huge potential application in pollutant disposal in flowing water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• S@CNCs are introduced as cathode for Li-S batteries. • CNCs could effectively confine the soluble lithium polysulfides. • CNCs could facilitate rapid transport of Li+ ions and electrons. To enhance the cycle stability of sulfur cathode for a high energy Li-S battery system, a novel sulfur@carbon nanocube (S@CNC) composite was prepared by encapsulating sulfur into micropores of CNCs by thermal treatment of a mixture of sublimed sulfur and CNCs. Electrochemical results demonstrated that encapsulating sulfur into individual insulated CNCs could effectively inhibit the aggregation of sulfur, eliminate excessive contact of sulfur species with the electrolyte and help confine the soluble lithium polysulfides. Additionally, the large surface area and thin shells of CNC hosts could facilitate rapid transport of Li+ ions and electrons to achieve superior rate capability and stable cycling performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Silver/Titanium dioxide film (Ag/TiO 2) composite films prepared by two different magnetron sputtering methods were deposited on textile substrates using the characteristics of nano-Ti films oxidized easily in the air. The microstructures and the photocatalytic property of Ag/TiO 2 composite films deposited on textile substrates were analyzed, and compared with that of TiO 2 /Ag composite films also deposited on textile substrates. The experimental results indicated that the Ag film and the TiO 2 film were uniformly distributed in layers on the surface of the fabrics. The surface microstructures of Ag/TiO 2 composite films deposited on the surface of fabrics was even and dense and was smoother than that of TiO 2 /Ag composite films. The photocatalytic activity of fabrics coated with TiO 2 film prepared by DC magnetron sputtering method was much lower than that of TiO 2 films prepared by DC and RF reactive sputtering method because of the structure of TiO 2 films formed by oxidation in the air. Due to the effect of the Ag film, the photocatalytic activity of Ag/TiO 2 composite films and TiO 2 /Ag composite films deposited on the fabrics were all improved, and the photocatalytic activity of Ag/TiO 2 composite films was the highest, and that of TiO 2 films was the smallest. • Ag/TiO 2 composite films prepared by two different magnetron sputtering methods were deposited on the textile substrate using the characteristics of nano-Ti films oxidized easily in the air. • The microstructures of Ag/TiO 2 composite film deposited on polyester fabrics were relatively smooth, dense and uniform, and the Ag film and the TiO 2 film were uniformly distributed in layers on the surface of the fabrics. • The photocatalytic activities of fabrics coated with Ag/TiO 2 composite films prepared by DC sputtering and by DC and RF reactive sputtering were closer, and all were higher than the fabrics coated with TiO 2 films, due to the effect of the underlying Ag film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work was to examine the influence of poly(sodium allyl sulfonate) (PSAS) branches on sizing properties of biological macromolecule (corn starch) for exploring a new anionic starch graft copolymer size (S- g -PSAS). Successful synthesis of S- g -PSAS samples was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. Viscosity stability, adhesion, film properties and desizability of the samples were also investigated. Compared with HS, improved adhesion to cotton and viscose fibers, viscosity stability and desizability for S- g -PSAS as well as enhanced breaking elongation and bending endurance for S- g -PSAS film were exhibited. With the rise in grafting ratio, bonding forces to both fibers, viscosity stability and desizability of S- g -PSAS and its film properties such as breaking elongation and bending endurance, were gradually enhanced. These results indicated that S- g -PSAS showed potential for the use as a new starch-based size in the sizing of cotton and viscose warps. Unlabelled Image • Relationship of structure-properties of S- g -PSAS is revealed. • S- g -PSAS shows high stability, and strong desizability and adhesion to fibers. • S- g -PSAS film possesses a lower brittleness compared with HS film. • S- g -PSAS can be used as a new starch-based carbohydrate polymer sizing agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO/carbon-TiO2 core-sheath nanofibrous film was fabricated by a combination of electrospinning, tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) treatment and heated treatment. The results of field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction revealed that the wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles were successfully incorporated in carbon nanofibers (NFs) matrix without aggregation. And a uniform TiO2 layer consisting of anatase and rutile covered on the surface of the ZnO/C NFs. The ZnO/C-TiO2 core-sheath NFs film was used to photodegrade rhodamine B and exhibited the photocatalytic efficiency of 98.8%, which was much higher than that of ZnO NFs and ZnO/C NFs. This might be attributed to the ZnO/C-TiO2 core-sheath structure with high separation efficiency of photo-generated electrons and holes. Moreover, ZnO/C-TiO2 core-sheath NFs could be easily recycled without decrease of photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite masterbatches of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) with functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were prepared by melt blending via a twin-screw extruder. The structure and morphology of composite masterbatches were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The PPS/functionalized GNPs composite fibers were then manufactured by a self-made spinning equipment via melt spinning. The oxidation resistance and other properties of PPS composite fibers were also examined. The results showed that the pure PPS fibers exhibited smooth surface, whereas the surface of PPS/functionalized GNPs composite fibers was rough. The addition of functionalized GNPs could be acted as heterogeneous nucleating agents to improve the crystallization and increase the degree of crystallinity. The retention rate of breaking strength of PPS/functionalized GNPs composite fibers could maintain up to 85% after the oxidation treatment. The improvement in the oxidation resistance of PPS/functionalized GNPs composite fibers is the results of comprehensive effects characterized by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. The addition of functionalized GNPs could limit the damage of the C–S group and retard the generation of sulfuryl groups (–SO–) during the oxidation treatment. The chemical combination of the elements sulfur (S) and oxygen (O) could also be restricted, thus weakening the oxidation activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the overuse of antimicrobial drugs, bacterial resistance became an urgent problem to be solved. In this study, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with high photodynamic antibacterial activity were synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method and introduced into bacterial cellulose (BC) dispersion solution. Through a wet-spinning and wet-twisting processing strategy, bionic ordering nanocomposite macrofiber (BC/CQDs-based yarn) based on BC were obtained. The results showed that BC/CQDs-based yarn had excellent tensile strength (226.8 MPa) and elongation (22.2 %). Utilizing the light-driven generation of singlet oxygen (1O 2) and hydroxyl radical (·OH), BC/CQDs-based yarn demonstrated remarkable antibacterial efficacy, with 99.9999 % (6 log, P < 0.0001) and 96.54 % (1.46 log, P < 0.0004) effectiveness against E. coli and S. aureus , respectively. At the same time, BC/CQDs-based yarn also displayed the characteristics of photothermal, fluorescent, and biodegradability. In summary, the application potential of BC/CQDs-based yarn is significant, opening up a new strategy for the development of sustainable green weaving and bio-based multi-function yarn. Schematic diagram of preparation of macrofiber and schematic diagram of weaving, fluorescence and antibacterial effect. [Display omitted] • CQDs with photodynamic and photothermal effects were prepared. • The samples prepared were obtained by wet-spinning and wet-twisting strategies. • The samples prepared have excellent strength, antibacterial property, fluorescence property, photothermal property and degradability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MgFe 2 O 4 /graphene aerogel (MFO/GA) composites were designed and fabricated through a combined electrospinning technique and hydrothermal-induced self-assembly strategy, in which the MFO nanofibers with high crystallinity were wrapped homogeneously and tightly. The as-synthesized MFO/GA composites formed a three-dimensional (3D) conductive network structure with large surface area, high porosity, and high conductivity, which are favorable to accommodate the volume changes of MFO during the repeated lithiation-delithiation processes, shorten the diffusion path, and promote the ions/electrons transfer. As anode material for half-cell, a high reversible capacity of ~1104 mAh g−1 is obtained after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g−1. Even at 1 A g−1, the MFO/GA delivers a stable capacity of ~686 mAh g−1 over 500 cycles, exhibiting superior rate performance. When assembled with commercial LiCoO 2 cathode to build a full cell system, the MFO/GA anode also can show a reversible capacity of ~714 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. The excellent electrochemical performance of MFO/GA in both half and full cells indicates its potential application in practical lithium-ion batteries in the future. Unlabelled Image • MgFe 2 O 4 /graphene aerogel anodes have been facilely prepared by combination of electrospinning and hydrothermal. • MgFe 2 O 4 nanofibers were wrapped in graphene aerogel to form 3D conductive network. • The reversible capacity can reach ~1104 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles in half-cell. • The full cell exhibited a stable capacity of ~714 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Self-assembling guar gum hydrogel-coated cotton fabric for oil/water separation. • High separation efficiency under alkaline and salty environments. • Good recyclability of the filtering material. "Green" and cost-effective materials for oil/water separation are in high demand to address worldwide water pollution issues. Herein we report a guar gum (GG)-based self-assembling hydrogel for oil/water separation. A cotton fabric was first coated with GG solution, followed by immersion in a sodium periodate (NaIO 4) solution. The GG gelation was induced by regioselective oxidation with NaIO 4. The in-situ formed aldehydes react with hydroxyl groups in the GG polymer chains, leading to the formation of acetals that crosslink the GG chains. The resultant GG hydrogel-coated cotton fabric was demonstrated to be capable of selectively separating different oily wastewaters, with separation efficiency of 98.11%, 97.53% and 99.47% for silicone oil, canola oil and cyclohexane, respectively. Due to the excellent antifouling properties and reasonable strength of the GG hydrogel, as well as its good affinity with cotton fabric, the as-prepared filtering material possesses high separation efficiency after 10 times of reuse. Moreover, it maintains good oil/water separation capability in alkaline and salty environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Piezoresistive pressure/strain sensors based on PANI/BC/CH aerogels were prepared. • Pressure sensors exhibited low pressure detection (32 Pa) and good sensitivity (1.41 kPa−1). • Polydimethylsiloxane was embedded into PANI/BC/CH aerogels to form strain sensors. • Both subtle and dynamic human motions were monitored by the strain sensors. Flexible, compressible and conductive aerogels were fabricated by incorporating polyaniline (PANI) into bacterial cellulose/chitosan (BC/CH) composites through facile freeze-drying technique. The PANI/BC/CH aerogel fabricated with the BC:CH weight ratio of 1:1 displayed the highest resistance response and showed extremely high sensitivity (1.41 kPa−1), low pressure detection (32 Pa), wide range of pressure deformation and extraordinary stability as a piezoresistive sensor. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was embedded into PANI/BC/CH aerogels to form PANI/BC/CH PDMS composites that displayed good stability under large mechanical deformation. Furthermore, applications of PANI/BC/CH aerogels and PANI/BC/CH/PDMS composites in piezoresistive sensors for wearable devices were also reported, which could detect human motions, ranging from joint movement to speech recognition, thus suggesting feasibility in health monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Polyaniline-encapsulated carbon/copper composite nanofibers (PANI/CuCNFs) were prepared for the first time by a facile and efficient method combining electrospinning and in-situ polymerization. A novel biosensor was constructed based on a composite of PANI/CuCNFs, Laccase, and Nafion. The novel biosensor showed excellent electrochemical properties and highly efficient catalysis towards hydroquinone. Abstract Polyaniline-encapsulated carbon/copper composite nanofibers (PANI/CuCNFs) were synthesized by a facile and efficient method combining electrospinning and in-situ polymerization, which were further applied to the laccase (Lac) based biosensor for polyphenol pollutant detection. The morphology and composition of the fabricated nanocomposite were investigated by a series of advanced characterization techniques. The electrochemical behaviour of the novel biosensor was studied through cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and chronoamperometry. Results showed that the addition of PANI/CuCNFs apparently improved the electrocatalytic properties of the Lac-based biosensor towards hydroquinone. The constructed biosensor possessed a high sensitivity (41.65 μA mM−1), a low detection limit (0.24 μM), and a wide linear range from 500 nM to 110 μM, as well as satisfied selectivity, reproducibility and repeatability. Moreover, the biosensor gave a successful application in hydroquinone measurement of river water. This work suggested that the Lac biosensor modified by PANI/CuCNFs has a great potential in the application of phenolic pollutants detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Structural color textile was fabricated by decorating CNCs. • The structural colors can be tuned by varying the proportion of glucose. • The structural colors can also be tuned by a different self-assemble way of CNCs. • Smart textile with reversible multiple stimulus-responsive functions was achieved. • The functions include anti-counterfeiting, RH sensing and water content detection. Over the past millions of years, plants and animals in nature have evolved complex microscopic structures, giving them vivid colors and camouflage that can deceive predators. Among the abundant sources of natural coloration, structural color is dominant in many creatures, which is created by the interaction between light and the nanostructures. Here, inspired by the natural structural color, we report an iridescent cotton fabric (ICF) with reversible multiple stimulus-responsive functions. Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) could self-assemble into structural color nanostructure on the cotton fabric surface. And the flexible ICFs with tunable structural colors could be achieved by adding different proportions of glucose. Surprisingly, we proposed a novel and eco-friendly method to realize gradient structural colors by changing the self-assembly way of the CNCs onto CF surface without adding superfluous additives. Furthermore, due to the response characteristics of CNC to water molecules, the ICF is endowed with reversible behaviours including anti-counterfeiting, relative humidity sensing and water content detection functions, which make ICF become a smart textile that could be applied in many fields. Taken together, the presented findings are expected to pave the way towards the incorporation of CNCs in textile coloration with the researches focusing on the smart textile materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to examine the influence of poly (2-acryloylamino-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) branches grafted onto starch molecules upon viscosity stability, adhesion and desizability of corn starch for warp sizing. A series of starch- g -PAMPS samples with different grafting ratios were prepared by graft copolymerization of acid-converted starch (ACS) with different amounts of 2-acryloylamino-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS), respectively, in an aqueous medium. The influence of the grafted PAMPS branches on the adhesion of starch to cotton and viscose fibers was evaluated by measuring the bonding forces of slightly sized cotton and viscose roving and comparing the adhesion of starch- g -PAMPS samples with that of ACS, according to a legal method (FZ/T 15001–2008). Their influences on viscosity stability and desizability were also evaluated. The desizability was investigated by measuring the time required for breakage of the film in hot water. It was found that starch- g -PAMPS samples were superior to ACS in adhesion to both fibers, viscosity stability and desizability, indicating that the PAMPS branches introduced were able to improve adhesion to the fibers, viscosity stability and desizability of starch. With the rise in grafting ratio, gradually improved bonding forces to both fibers, paste stability and desizability were exhibited. Starch- g -PAMPS showed potential for use as a new starch-based size in the warp sizing of cotton and viscose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing multifunctional hydrogels with good mechanical properties, tissue-adhesiveness, self-healing properties and antioxidant, blood clotting and antibacterial properties is highly desirable for biomedical applications. In this study, a series of multifunctional chitosan-based double cross-linked hydrogels were prepared using a facile method based on quaternized chitosan (QCS) and polyacrylamide (PAM) using polydopamine (PDA) as a novel connecting bridge. Investigation on the content of dopamine (DA) and QCS revealed that the catechol-mediated interactions played an important role in the hydrogel properties. Results showed that the hydrogel exhibited the best mechanical properties when QCS = 12 wt% and DA = 0.4 wt%. Tensile and compressive strength was 13.3 kPa and 67.8 kPa, respectively, and the hydrogel presented strong and repeatable tissue-adhesiveness (27.2 kPa) to porcine skin, as well as good stretchability (1154%). At room temperature, the hydrogel exhibited high self-healing efficiency (90% after 2 h of healing). Antibacterial test results showed that the hydrogel killed 99.99% S. aureus and E. coli. Moreover, the vaccarin-loaded hydrogel exhibited a pH-responsive drug release profile with superior cytocompatibility compared to the pure hydrogel. In summary, this strategy combined double cross-linking and catechol-mediated chemistry to shed new light on the fabrication of novel multifunctional hydrogels with desirable mechanical properties, strong tissue adhesiveness and self-healing abilities. Unlabelled Image • A series of novel multifunctional hydrogels have been developed based on double cross-linking and mussel-inspired chemistry. • PDA acted as an anchor to crosslink rigid skeleton QCS and flexible second polymer PAM. • The hydrogel displayed desirable mechanical properties, strong tissue-adhesiveness, self-healing and antibacterial activity. • The hydrogel also exhibited good antioxidant and hemostatic ability. • The vaccarin-loaded hydrogel showed pH-responsive drug release profile and could promote L929 cells proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Silicate serves as a protectant to prevent the over-oxidation of PDA. • The tissue adhesive strength of the hydrogel is as high as 21.3 kPa. • The sandwich-like structure enables a sustained TH release. • Synergistic antibacterial effect of TH and CS of the composite. Multifunctional hydrogels with self-adhesive, self-healable, sustained drug release and anti-infection properties could be attractive candidates in biomedical and relevant applications. Here, inspired by mussel adhesive mechanism, we developed a series of novel super-adhesive hydrogels by incorporating polydopamine-intercalated silicate nanoflakes (PDA-Silicate) into chitosan/gelatin hydrogels. The intercalation of dopamine (DA) into silicate prevented its over-oxidization and preserved sufficient free catechol groups in the hydrogel. The hydrogel with optimal content of DA and silicate showed excellent adhesiveness to various substrates, with over 20 kPa of adhesive strength to porcine skin. To endow the hydrogel with antibacterial activity, the tetracycline hydrochloride (TH)-loaded electrospun nanofibers were inserted into the gel solution with optimal content of DA and silicate to form the sandwich-like nanofibers/hydrogel composite (NF-HG) in situ. The NF-HG displayed higher bacterial kill ratio than original hydrogel and the sustained released TH could provide long-term protection, minimizing drug toxicity related with burst release. Besides, NF-HG exhibited good cytocompatibility and favored cell proliferation. Taken together, this multifunctional hydrogel composite may inspire new aspects for potential biomedical materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CO 2 and dye separation efficiency of the separator were investigated. • The total pressure drop increased from 1.43 Pa to 122.70 Pa. • The total separation efficiency improved significantly from 4.35% to 38.22%. Separator, as one of the key components in supercritical CO 2 dyeing apparatus, shows the function of separating CO 2 and dyes, thus affecting the reutilization of CO 2 and the subsequent dyeing production. In this study, pressure drop and separation efficiency of the separator were investigated by employing the flow field analysis software FLUENT. Fluid area calculation of the separator was conducted using Reynolds stress model as the turbulence model and SIMPLEC algorithm. Moreover, separation efficiency of CO 2 gas and dyes in the separator was determined by employing Discrete phase model as the calculation model of dye particle phase. Numerical results showed that the total pressure drop of the separator increased from 1.43 Pa to 122.70 Pa with the inlet flow rate of CO 2 increased from 50 L/h to 2000 L/h. The total separation efficiency of the separator improved significantly from 4.35% to 38.22% when the inlet flow rate increased from 100 L/h to 2000 L/h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel adsorbent based on zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) modified bacterial cellulose/chitosan (BC/CH) composite aerogel was prepared through a facile method for removal of heavy metal ions and organic dyes. • Novel ZIF-67 modified bacterial cellulose/chitosan composite aerogel was prepared. • Stability of composite aerogel was enhanced by potentiation of cellulose nanofibers. • Surface area of composite aerogel was increased due to massive loading of ZIF-67. • Composite aerogel showed excellent removal capacity for heavy metal ions and dye. • Adsorption mechanism of aerogel was analyzed and discussed in this work. A novel adsorbent based on zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67, a sort of metal-organic framework) modified bacterial cellulose/chitosan (BC/CH) composite aerogel was prepared through a facile method combining physical mixture, in situ synthesis, and lyophilization. The water stability of CH aerogel was improved by incorporating BC nanofibers instead of using environmentally unfriendly chemical crosslinking agent. The loading rate of ZIF-67 was as high as 46.1% and the BET specific surface area of ZIF-67/BC/CH aerogel reached to 268.7 m2 g−1, which was much larger than that of BC/CH aerogel (8.4 m2 g−1). The as-prepared ZIF-67/BC/CH aerogel was employed to remove heavy metal ions and organic dye in aqueous solution. The adsorption capacities of the composite aerogel for Cu2+ and Cr6+ were 200.6 mg g−1 and 152.1 mg g−1, respectively. Moreover, the adsorption mechanism was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Besides, the aerogel also showed almost 100% of removal rate toward active red X-3B through one time of adsorption. Consequently, the ZIF-67/BC/CH aerogel, as a novel and high efficient adsorbent, has a good application potential for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as promising hierarchical structured porous materials for high-performance energy storage and conversion devices due to their unique tunable structure and excellent porosity. Herein, we reported a "one for two" strategy to prepare NiCo 2 S 4 nanorods directly grown on carbon cloth (NiCo 2 S 4 @CC) via a simply modified MOFs-derived approach for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors and efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER). As an electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors, the NiCo 2 S 4 @CC electrode showed excellent electrochemical performance with high specific capacitance and good rate capability. The asymmetric supercapacitor using NiCo 2 S 4 @CC as a cathode electrode and N-doped porous carbon nanosheets grown on the CC (NC@CC) as an anode electrode achieved a superior energy density and power density and a long cycle life. Furthermore, the NiCo 2 S 4 @CC exhibited a notable electrocatalytic activity as an electrocatalyst for OER. The remarkable electrochemical performance of as-prepared NiCo 2 S 4 @CC could be mainly attributed to its hierarchical structure, sufficient active sites and low metal-anion bond energy after sulfuration reaction. This work could provide an unprecedented opportunity to fabricate functional materials under rational design for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high catalytic activity of membrane-binding gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) makes its application in oxidation or reduction an attractive challenge. Herein, surface-functionalized bacterial cellulose (BC-poly(HEMA)) was successfully prepared with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as monomers via the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method. BC-poly(HEMA) was further utilized as not only reducing agent but also carrier for uniform distribution of the AuNPs in the diameter of about 8 nm on the membrane surface during the synthesis stage. The synthesized AuNPs/BC-poly(HEMA) exhibited excellent catalytic activity and reusability for reducing 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) from NaBH4. The results proved that the catalytic performance of AuNPs/BC-poly(HEMA) was affected by the surrounding temperature and pH, and AuNPs/BC-poly(HEMA) maintained the extremely high catalytic activity of AuNPs/BC-poly(HEMA) even after 10 reuses. In addition, no 4-NP was detected in the degradation solution after being stored for 45 days. The reusable catalyst prepared by this work shows a potential industrial application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a fast water-responsive shape memory hybrid polymer based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was prepared by crosslinking with hydroxyethyl cotton cellulose nanofibers (CNF-C) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The effect of CNTs content on the electrical conductivity of TPU/CNF-C/CNTs nanocomposite was investigated for the feasibility of being a strain sensor. In order to know its durability, the mechanical and water-responsive shape memory effects were studied comprehensively. The results indicated good mechanical properties and sensing performance for the TPU matrix fully crosslinked with CNF-C and CNTs. The water-induced shape fixity ratio (Rf) and shape recovery ratio (Rr) were 49.65% and 76.64%, respectively, indicating that the deformed composite was able to recover its original shape under a stimulus. The TPU/CNF-C/CNTs samples under their fixed and recovered shapes were tested to investigate their sensing properties, such as periodicity, frequency, and repeatability of the sensor spline under different loadings. Results indicated that the hybrid composite can sense large strains accurately for more than 103 times and water-induced shape recovery can to some extent maintain the sensing accuracy after material fatigue. With such good properties, we envisage that this kind of composite may play a significant role in developing new generations of water-responsive sensors or actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals living in extremely cold plateau areas have shown amazing ability to maintain their bodies warmth, a benefit of their hair's unique structures and crimps. Investigation of hair crimps using a water-stimulated shape fixation effect would control the hair's crimpness with a specific wetting-drying process thereafter, in order to achieve the regulation of hair thermal insulation. The mechanism of hair's temporary shape fixation was revealed through FTIR and XRD characterizations for switching on and off the hydrogen bonds between macromolecules via penetration into and removal of aqueous molecules. The thermal insulation of hairs was regulated by managing the hair temporary crimps, that is, through managing the multiple reflectance of infrared light by hair hierarchical crimps from hair root to head. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A co-based porous metal-organic framework (MOF) of zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) was utilized to prepare a ZIF-67/CNFs composite via a one-pot synthesis method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to investigate the morphology, structure, and composition of the resulting composite. A novel high-performance non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor was constructed based on the ZIF-67/CNFs composite. The ZIF-67/CNFs based sensor exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards H2O2 compared to a pure ZIF-67-based sensor, due to the synergistic effects of ZIF-67 and CNFs. Meanwhile, chronoamperometry was utilized to explore the detection performance of the sensor. Results showed the sensor displayed high-efficiency electrocatalysis towards H2O2 with a detection limit of 0.62 μM (S/N = 3), a sensitivity of 323 µA mM−1 cm−2, a linear range from 0.0025 to 0.19 mM, as well as satisfactory selectivity and long-term stability. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrated its application potential in the detection of H2O2 in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]