Preparation of a Photosensitive Composite Carbon Fiber for Spilled Oil Cleaning

This paper deals with preparing a functional composite carbon fiber with a large surface area for spilled oil cleaning. The composite fiber consisted of photosensitive oxide particles and polymer-derived carbon. It was made by co-spinning the polymer and metallic compounds. After heat treatment at high temperatures, an activated carbon fiber containing oxide particles was obtained. The particles were found distributed in the fiber and at the surface of the fiber. The composite fiber was found sensitive to sunlight. Fiber mats made of the composite fiber possessed a high surface area for oil absorption and removal. Cobalt(II) titanate particles were obtained from the reaction of titanium dioxide and cobalt oxide. The reaction happened in situ through the hydrolysis of metallic compounds in the spun fiber. The titanium dioxide and cobalt(II) titanate particle-containing fibers demonstrated the photoactivity in the visible light spectrum. It was concluded that particle-containing composite carbon fiber mats can be prepared successfully by co-electrospinning. Due to the oleophilic property and the high active surface area, the composites are suitable for spilled oil cleaning through fast absorption.

Effects of Clay in Nylon Fibe

Since the introduction of nylon 6:6, and nylon 6, the nylon fiber was in significant demand in home textile and technical textile articles. Its uses in hosiery, sail cloth, parachute, blouses, gowns and veils, swim suit, parachute, and lingerie etc. Improving the performance of any nylon matrix with the loading of clay content, for the desired effects, can be an important subject to expand the utilization of nylon in automotive, technical textiles etc. This review study is to find out how clay may contribute in the performance of nylon fiber, and what research directions are appealing in achieving the desired effects in nylon fibers. The known effects on orientation and crystal structure of any nylon polymer; and how the advantageous effects in the utilization of nylon are achievable through the incorporation of clay mineral particularly in composite fiber. Strength, fatigue and thermal stability are some improved effects possible. Heat resistance and flame retardancy are particularly discussed. The aim of this review study is to realize how the nylon fiber was modified using the montmorillonite clay; and to explore what are the possible effects, and improvement achieved.

Novel TiO2/TPU Composite Fiber-based Smart Textiles for Photocatalytic Applications

Herein, we prepare a novel hollow composite fiber via a wet-spinning process to overcome separation and recovery problems of nanostructured catalysts. The obtained TiO2/TPU fiber showed excellent mechanical and photocatalytic...

Composite Fiber Spun Mat Synthesis and In Vitro Biocompatibility for Guide Tissue Engineering

Composite scaffolds are commonly used strategies and materials employed to achieve similar analogs of bone tissue. This study aims to fabricate 10% wt polylactic acid (PLA) composite fiber scaffolds by the air-jet spinning technique (AJS) doped with 0.5 or 0.1 g of zirconium oxide nanoparticles (ZrO2) for guide bone tissue engineering. ZrO2 nanoparticles were obtained by the hydrothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyzed the synthesized PLA/ZrO2 fiber scaffolds. The in vitro biocompatibility and bioactivity of the PLA/ZrO2 were studied using human fetal osteoblast cells. Our results showed that the hydrothermal technique allowed ZrO2 nanoparticles to be obtained. SEM analysis showed that PLA/ZrO2 composite has a fiber diameter of 395 nm, and the FITR spectra confirmed that the scaffolds’ chemical characteristics are not affected by the synthesized technique. In vitro studies demonstrated that PLA/ZrO2 scaffolds increased cell adhesion, cellular proliferation, and biomineralization of osteoblasts. In conclusion, the PLA/ZrO2 scaffolds are bioactive, improve osteoblasts behavior, and can be used in tissue bone engineering applications.

PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN SERAT IJUK PADA PAVING BLOCK BERBAHAN PLASTIK HDPE

The waste problem continues to be a complex issue. On the one hand, the use of plastic still cannot be abandoned by humans, but on the other hand the waste produced is very difficult to decompose. In Indonesia, in 2015 the amount of waste reached 64 million tons / year. Palm fiber is one of the materials that can be used as composite fiber. In this study, a research will be conducted on the manufacture of paving blocks made from HDPE plastic combined with variations of 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% palm fiber. Plastic waste is melted and put into a mold and then combined with palm fiber. From the test results, the highest compressive strength (2% fiber variation) was 45.91 kg/cm2 and the average compressive strength was 45.28 kg/cm2. This compressive strength is under the minimum compressive strength standard of SNI Permasalahan sampah masih terus menjadi isu kompleks. Di satu sisi, penggunaan plastik masih belum bisa ditinggalkan manusia, namun di sisi lain sampah yang dihasilkan sangat sulit terurai. Di indonesia, pada tahun 2015 tercatat banyaknya sampah mencapai 64 juta ton/tahun. Ijuk merupakan salah satu material yang dapat digunakan sebagai serat komposit. Pda penelitian ini akan dilakukan penelitian mengenai pembuatan paving block berbahan dasar plastik HDPE yang dikombinasikan dengan variasi serat ijuk 0%, 1%, 2 % dan 3%. Limbah plastik dilelehkan dan dimasukkan ke dalam cetakan lalu dipadukan dengan serat ijuk. Dari hasil pengujian, didapatkan kuat tekan tertinggi (variasi serat 2%) sebesar 45,91 kg/cm2 dan kuat tekan rata-ratanya sebesar 45,28 kg/cm2. Kuat tekan ini berada di bawah standar kuat tekan minimal dari SNI.

Enhancement Research on Piezoelectric Performance of Electrospun PVDF Fiber Membranes with Inorganic Reinforced Materials

The electrospun PVDF fiber membranes with the characteristics of light weight, strong signal and measurability, have been widely applied in the fields of environment, energy sensors and biomedical treatment. Due to the weakness of the piezoelectric and service properties, the conventional PVDF fiber membranes cannot meet the operating requirements. Based on the obtained optimal technological parameter of electrospun pure PVDF fiber membranes (P-PVDF) in the previous experiment (unpublished), three inorganic reinforced substances (AgNO3, FeCl3·6H2O, nanographene) were respectively used to dope and modify PVDF to prepare composite fiber membranes with the better piezoelectric performance. The morphology and crystal structure of the hybrid fiber membranes were observed and detected by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The results showed that the dopant could effectively promote the formation of β-phase, which can enhance the piezoelectric performance. The mechanical properties test and piezoelectric performance test exhibited that the static flexural strength, the elastic modulus, and the piezoelectric performance were improved with the addition of dopant. In addition, the influence on the addition of dopant and the doping modification mechanism were discussed. Finally, the conclusions showed that the minimum average diameter was obtained with the 0.3 wt% addition of AgNO3; the piezoelectric performance reached the strongest with the 0.8 wt% addition of FeCl3·6H2O; the mechanical properties were best with the 1.0 wt% addition of nanographene.

Recent Progress in Flexible Graphene-Based Composite Fiber Electrodes for Supercapacitors

Graphene has shown the world its fascinating properties, including high specific surface area, high conductivity, and extraordinary mechanical properties, which enable graphene to be a competent candidate for electrode materials. However, some challenges remain in the real applications of graphene-based electrodes, such as continuous preparation of graphene fibers with highly ordered graphene sheets as well as strong interlayer interactions. The combination of graphene with other materials or functional guests hence appears as a more promising pathway via post-treatment and in situ hybridism to produce composite fibers. This article firstly provides a full account of the classification of graphene-based composite fiber electrodes, including carbon allotropy, conductive polymer, metal oxide and other two-dimensional (2D) materials. The preparation methods of graphene-based composite fibers are then discussed in detail. The context further demonstrates the performance optimization of graphene-based composite fiber electrodes, involving microstructure design and surface modification, followed by the elaboration of the application of graphene-based composite fiber electrodes in supercapacitors. Finally, we present the remaining challenges that exist to date in order to provide meaningful guidelines in the development process and prospects of graphene-based composite fiber electrodes.

Electrospinning and Catalytic Properties of Cyclodextrin Functionalized Polyoxymethylene (POM) Nanofibers Supported by Silver Nanoparticles

A series of novel composite microfibers composed of β-cyclodextrin (β-CDs) functionalized POM (polyoxymethylene) were prepared using electrospining technology with a mixture of hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as solvent. The concentration of β-CDs with respect to the POM was varied from 0 to 50 wt.%. The effect of β-CDs content on the morphology of POM/β-CD composite microfiber was investigated. The results showed that the introduction of β-CDs reduced the surface roughness and porosity of the microfibers, and the morphology of the fibers was changed. The increase of β-CDs content from 10% to 50% has led to increased average diameter of POM/β-CD composite fiber from 2.1 μm to 6.4 μm. The mechanical properties of the blend fiber mats were further investigated. In addition, silver nanoparticles were introduced to the POM/β-CD composite microfiber matrices during electrospinning. The POM/β-CD composite fiber allows CDs to form host–guest complexes with various small molecules and macromolecules. The TEM, SEM, XRD, and XPS were utilized to characterize the prepared samples. The data suggest that Ag nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed within the POM/β-CD fibers, and no aggregation was observed. The catalytic activity of Ag nanoparticles was tracked by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy which showed excellent catalytic degradation performance of organic dyes in the presence of NaBH4. The Ag/POM/β-CD mats are promising for use in waste treatment, molecular recognition, catalysis, and so on.

Matrix and Filler Recycling of Carbon and Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites: A Review

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) are low-density, high-performance composite materials, which find important applications in the automotive, aerospace, and energy industry, to only cite a few. With the increasing concerns about sustainability and environment risks, the problem of the recycling of such complex composite systems has been emerging in politics, industry, and academia. The issue is exacerbated by the increased use of FRPs in the automotive industry and by the expected decommissioning of airplanes and wind turbines amounting to thousands of metric tons of composite materials. Currently, the recycling of FRPs downcycles the entire composite to some form of reinforcement material (typically for cements) or degrades the polymer matrix to recover the fibers. Following the principles of sustainability, the reuse and recycling of the whole composite—fiber and polymer—should be promoted. In this review paper, we report on recent research works that achieve the recycling of both the fiber and matrix phase of FRP composites, with the polymer being either directly recovered or converted to value-added monomers and oligomers.