Electrospinning is a highly versatile method to process solutions or melts, mainly of polymers, into continuous fibers with diameters ranging from a few micrometers to a few nanometers. This technique is applicable to virtually every soluble or fusible polymer. The polymers can be chemically modified and can also be tailored with additives ranging from simple carbon-black particles to complex species such as enzymes, viruses, and bacteria. Electrospinning appears to be straightforward, but is a rather intricate process that depends on a multitude of molecular, process, and technical parameters. The method provides access to entirely new materials, which may have complex chemical structures. Electrospinning is not only a focus of intense academic investigation; the technique is already being applied in many technological areas.

Electrospinning: A Fascinating Method for the Preparation of Ultrathin Fibers

The science and technology of ultracapacitors are reviewed for a number of electrode materials, including carbon, mixed metal oxides, and conducting polymers. More work has been done using microporous carbons than with the other materials and most of the commercially available devices use carbon electrodes and an organic electrolytes. The energy density of these devices is 3¯5 Wh/kg with a power density of 300¯500 W/kg for high efficiency (90¯95%) charge/discharges. Projections of future developments using carbon indicate that energy densities of 10 Wh/kg or higher are likely with power densities of 1¯2 kW/kg. A key problem in the fabrication of these advanced devices is the bonding of the thin electrodes to a current collector such the contact resistance is less than 0.1 cm2. Special attention is given in the paper to comparing the power density characteristics of ultracapacitors and batteries. The comparisons should be made at the same charge/discharge efficiency.

Ultracapacitors: Why, How, and Where is the Technology

Electrospinning is a versatile and viable technique for generating ultrathin fibers. Remarkable progress has been made with regard to the development of electrospinning methods and engineering of electrospun nanofibers to suit or enable various applications. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of electrospinning, including the principle, methods, materials, and applications. We begin with a brief introduction to the early history of electrospinning, followed by discussion of its principle and typical apparatus. We then discuss its renaissance over the past two decades as a powerful technology for the production of nanofibers with diversified compositions, structures, and properties. Afterward, we discuss the applications of electrospun nanofibers, including their use as "smart" mats, filtration membranes, catalytic supports, energy harvesting/conversion/storage components, and photonic and electronic devices, as well as biomedical scaffolds. We highlight the most relevant and recent advances related to the applications of electrospun nanofibers by focusing on the most representative examples. We also offer perspectives on the challenges, opportunities, and new directions for future development. At the end, we discuss approaches to the scale-up production of electrospun nanofibers and briefly discuss various types of commercial products based on electrospun nanofibers that have found widespread use in our everyday life.

Electrospinning and Electrospun Nanofibers: Methods, Materials, and Applications

Interest in electrospinning has recently escalated due to the ability to produce materials with nanoscale properties. Electrospun fibers have been investigated as promising tissue engineering scaffolds since they mimic the nanoscale properties of native extracellular matrix. In this review, we examine electrospinning by providing a brief description of the theory behind the process, examining the effect of changing the process parameters on fiber morphology, and discussing the potential applications and impacts of electrospinning on the field of tissue engineering.

Electrospinning of polymeric nanofibers for tissue engineering applications: a review.

Although there are many methods of fabricating nanofibres, electrospinning is perhaps the most versatile process. Materials such as polymer, composites, ceramic and metal nanofibres have been fabricated using electrospinning directly or through post-spinning processes. However, what makes electrospinning different from other nanofibre fabrication processes is its ability to form various fibre assemblies. This will certainly enhance the performance of products made from nanofibres and allow application specific modifications. It is therefore vital for us to understand the various parameters and processes that allow us to fabricate the desired fibre assemblies. Fibre assemblies that can be fabricated include nonwoven fibre mesh, aligned fibre mesh, patterned fibre mesh, random three-dimensional structures and sub-micron spring and convoluted fibres. Nevertheless, more studies are required to understand and precisely control the actual mechanics in the formation of various electrospun fibrous assemblies.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-4484/17/14/R01/pdf

A review on electrospinning design and nanofibre assemblies.

Energy generation from airborne noise: Improving electrical outputs of single-layer polyvinylidene difluoride nanofiber membranes by incorporating a small number of nylon-6 nanofibers

Nanofibrous Membranes: Dual‐Layer Superamphiphobic/Superhydrophobic‐Oleophilic Nanofibrous Membranes with Unidirectional Oil‐Transport Ability and Strengthened Oil–Water Separation Performance (Adv. Mater. Interfaces 4/2015)

The invention relates to a nano-fiber and micro-fiber composite anti-haze gauze mask. The gauze mask has the advantages that the air resistance is low, and the particulate pollutant filtering efficiency is high; the gauze mask can filter volatile organic compounds, acid gas, alkaline gas, nitric oxides, sulfur oxides and carbon monoxide, or eliminate smoke, peculiar smell, formaldehyde and the like, and can be used for prevention in various pollution-gase sites. The nano-fiber and micro-fiber composite anti-haze gauze mask includes at least one micro-fiber layer and a nano fiber layer, wherein the nano fiber layer is arranged on the inner side of the micro-fiber layer and can filter volatile organic compounds, acid gas, alkaline gas, nitric oxides, sulfur oxides and carbon monoxide and eliminate smoke, peculiar smell and formaldehyde; functional additives are added into nano fibers of the nano fiber layer and include a VOC adsorbent, an aidic adsorbent, an alkaline adsorbent, a bactericide, an antiviral agent, a photolysis catalyst used for decomposing VOC, a formaldehyde catalytic oxidant and a carbon monoxide adsorbent.

Nano-fiber and micro-fiber composite anti-haze gauze mask

The invention discloses hydrophobic-oleophobic antifouling paint and a preparation method and application thereof. The paint is prepared from nonpolar powder, a silane coupling agent, a water-based dispersing agent and the balance water. The method includes: well mixing the nonpolar powder and the silane coupling agent; adding the water-based dispersing agent, and well mixing; finally adding water, and stirring to obtain the paint. The paint is capable of forming hydrophobic-oleophobic antifouling coatings on surfaces of textiles, plastic films, glass, metal, wood, paper, plastic foam, sponge, building walls, bricks, concrete, ceramics or fibers. By synergistic effects of raw materials, a stable dispersion phase is formed in water, environment pollution is greatly abated, the preparation method is simplified, coating safety is improved, and cost is reduced.

Hongxia Wang

Papers

Energy generation from airborne noise: Improving electrical outputs of single-layer polyvinylidene difluoride nanofiber membranes by incorporating a small number of nylon-6 nanofibers

Nanofibrous Membranes: Dual‐Layer Superamphiphobic/Superhydrophobic‐Oleophilic Nanofibrous Membranes with Unidirectional Oil‐Transport Ability and Strengthened Oil–Water Separation Performance (Adv. Mater. Interfaces 4/2015)

Nano-fiber and micro-fiber composite anti-haze gauze mask

Hydrophobic-oleophobic antifouling paint and preparation method and application thereof

Superoleophobic Filters: Improvement of Filtration Performance by Front Attachment of Oil‐Guiding Fabric