Block copolymer-based porous carbon fibers (PCFs) exhibit hierarchical porous structures, high surface areas, and exceptional electrochemical properties. However, the design of block copolymers for PCFs remains a challenge in advancing this type of fibrous material for energy storage applications. Herein, we have systematically synthesized a series of poly(methyl methacrylate-block-acrylonitrile) (PMMA-b-PAN) with well-controlled molecular weights and compositions to study the physical and electrochemical properties of PCFs. PCFs are synthesized via electrospinning, selfassembly, oxidation, and pyrolysis with no additives or chemical activation. By adjusting the molecular weights of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and poly(methyl methacrylate) blocks, we have achieved tunable mesopore sizes ranging from 10.9 to 18.6 nm and specific capacitances varied from 144 to 345 F g −1 at 10 mV s −1 . Interestingly, regardless of the volume fraction of PAN, all the block copolymers produce hierarchical porous structures because of the self-assembly and cross-linking of PAN. Block copolymers with a PAN volume fraction of near 50% show the highest surface areas and gravimetric capacitances. The PCFs represent a new platform material with tunable specific surface areas, pore sizes, and electrochemical properties. This work has an immediate impact on designing block copolymers to create PCFs for applications in energy conversion and storage.

We report the fabrication, properties, and bacteria-resistance of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) coatings and free-standing films. Poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid), poly(diallyldimethyl-ammonium chloride), and salt were spin-coated into PEC films. After thermal annealing in a humid environment, highly transparent, mechanically strong, and chemically robust films were formed. Notably, we demonstrate that PEC coatings significantly reduce the attachment of Escherichia coli K12 without killing the micro-organisms. We suggest that forming bacteria-resistant surface coatings from commercially available polymers holds the potential for use across a wide range of applications including high-touch surfaces in medical settings.

We investigated the preparation of porous film of cellulose-based graft copolymer by breath figure method. The effects of substrate, solvent, graft density and graft length on the formation of porous film were elucidated. The results showed that ordered porous films could be facilely formed on the glass and mica substrate, while no ordered porous films were obtained on the silicon substrate. The ordered porous films were formed from the copolymer/CS2 solution, while no ordered porous films were done from the copolymer/CH2Cl2, CHCl3 and toluene solution. Moreover, no ordered porous films were obtained from the copolymer with spare graft density or with long side chain. The results indicated that the substrate, solvent, graft density and graft length had important effects on the ordered porous film.

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was used as the sole carbon source in the medium to isolate PVA-degrading fungi from an activated sludge which obtained from water-soluble PVA packaging film factory. The PVA-degrading fungi were screened after transparent circle experiment and were preliminary identified through morphology and optical microscope observations. The qualitative and quantitative researches of the effect of additives on PVA degradability were investigated by transparent circle experiment and UV spectrophotometry, respectively. The results showed that the degradation effect of the XP-02 was the best in ten PVA-degrading strain and was preliminary identified as penicillium. When the concentration of additives was 0.05 g/L, the biodegradation rate of PVA was increased with the addition of plasticizer (polyethylene glycol) (PEG), surface active agent (sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate) (SDBS) and emulsifying agent (tween-80 or triton X-100) by 5.01%, 8.67% and 11.21%, respectively, which indicates that the additives in the PVA packaging film can increase the degradable effect. However, the optimum proportion of these additives in the PVA film to obtain the best degradability for the film is deserves the further investigation.

A facile and inexpensive environmental-friendly method was developed to prepare a biomimetic superhydrophobic CuO surface with hierarchical micro- and nanostructures by the combination of a simple solid state reaction and a convenient dipping-coating method. The biomimetic CuO surface showed superhydrophobicity even for some corrosive liquids including salt solutions and acidic and basic solutions at a wide pH range from 2 to 13. Moreover, the superhydrophobic CuO surface showed high stability in ambient environment even exposed to ultraviolet light for 10 h.