Fabrication of Polymer Composite Fibers Embedding Ultra-Long Micro/Nanowires

Abstract

Fabrication of polymer composite fibers embedding ultra-long micro/nanowires via an iterative melt co-drawing and bundling technique is reported in this study. The poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) porous array templates were prepared with section-cutting the PMMA/polystyrene (PS) (shell/core) composite fibers and dissolution of inner PS. The results showed that the PS cores or pores in the PMMA matrix are regularly arranged with hexagonal, and their diameter and spacing exhibits a uniform distribution. Especially, the core diameter can be precisely controlled from millimeter-scale to nanometer-scale by multi-step melt co-drawing. Based on the PMMA porous array templates, the Cu nanowires were successfully prepared by electrochemical deposition. Moreover, to fabricate PMMA ultra-long micro/nanowires, the composite fibers with converse shell/core component of PS/PMMA were initially prepared, and then the outer PS was dissolved. The obtained PMMA micro/nanowires were characterized with smooth complete orientation structure. The study provides an experimental basis for fabricating such polymer composite fibers, micro/nano porous array templates, and micro/nanowires with precise and controllable manner to meet the real application requirements.

A comprehensive review on branched nanofibers: Preparations, strategies, and applications

“…5 Nanofibers can be generated by different techniques such as template synthesis, phase separation, drawing, wet spinning, and self-assembly. [6][7][8][9][10] However, most of these methods have disadvantages because occasionally procedures are not appropriate for some polymers, are not manageable, and have no adaptation over the orientation and diameter of fibers.…”