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

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

One-dimensional (1D) ZnO nanostructures have been studied intensively and extensively over the last decade not only for their remarkable chemical and physical properties, but also for their current and future diverse technological applications. This article gives a comprehensive overview of the progress that has been made within the context of 1D ZnO nanostructures synthesized via wet chemical methods. We will cover the synthetic methodologies and corresponding growth mechanisms, different structures, doping and alloying, position-controlled growth on substrates, and finally, their functional properties as catalysts, hydrophobic surfaces, sensors, and in nanoelectronic, optical, optoelectronic, and energy harvesting devices.

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One-dimensional ZnO nanostructures: Solution growth and functional properties

Functional materials by electrospinning of polymers

Surface modifications for the effective dispersion of carbon nanotubes in solvents and polymers

Polyvinyl alcohol∕ZnO (PVA∕ZnO) hybrid nanofibers were prepared by the electrospinning technique. The structural and spectral information of the nanofibers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, resonant Raman, and photoluminescence (PL). The results indicate that ZnO were successfully embedded in the one-dimensional hybrid fibers via chemical interactions between ZnO and PVA. PL results show the PVA∕ZnO nanofibers have an intense white-light emission, which originates from the simultaneous emission of three bands covering from the UV to visible range. A possible PL mechanism was proposed accordingly.

White-light emission of polyvinyl alcohol/ZnO hybrid nanofibers prepared by electrospinning

Spring-like fibers for cardiac tissue engineering.

Photoluminescence of polyethylene oxide–ZnO composite electrospun fibers

Structural and photoluminescent properties of ZnO hexagonal nanoprisms synthesized by microemulsion with polyvinyl pyrrolidone served as surfactant and passivant

XiaoMeng Sui

Papers

White-light emission of polyvinyl alcohol/ZnO hybrid nanofibers prepared by electrospinning

Spring-like fibers for cardiac tissue engineering.

Photoluminescence of polyethylene oxide–ZnO composite electrospun fibers

Structural and photoluminescent properties of ZnO hexagonal nanoprisms synthesized by microemulsion with polyvinyl pyrrolidone served as surfactant and passivant

Synthesis of PANI/AgCl, PANI/BaSO4 and PANI/TiO2 nanocomposites in CTAB/hexanol/water reverse micelle