Direct electronetting of high-performance membranes based on self-assembled 2D nanoarchitectured networks

Abstract

There is an increasing demand worldwide on advanced two-dimensional (2D) nanofibrous networks with applications ranging from environmental protection and electrical devices to bioengineering. Design of such nanoarchitectured materials has been considered a long-standing challenge. Herein, we report a direct electronetting technology for the fabrication of self-assembled 2D nanoarchitectured networks (nano-nets) from various materials. Tailoring of the precursor solution and of the microelectric field allows charged droplets, which are ejected from a Taylor cone, to levitate, deform and phase separate before they self-assemble a 2D nanofibre network architecture. The fabricated nano-nets show mechanical robustness and benefit from nanostructural properties such as enhanced surface wettability, high transparency, separation and improved air filtration properties. Calcination of the nano-nets results in the formation of carbon nano-nets with electric conductivity and titanium dioxide nano-nets with bioprotective properties.

Spider‐Web‐Inspired PM0.3 Filters Based on Self‐Sustained Electrostatic Nanostructured Networks

“…To mimic the spider web structures at nanoscale, previously, pieces of 2D web-like structures with fiber diameter (<50 nm), were found in our group. [20,21] However, these structures were only an unpredictable, occasionally formed (<2% content) accessory product accompanying defective micro/nanofibers. And they were partly nonporous, showed compact stacking structures, leading to fatal obstacle for their utilization as air filters.…”

Nano‐Crystalline Sandwich Formed in Polylactic Acid Fibers

“…To achieve such morphology experimentally, we employed the electrospinning nanofiber forming process in a side‐by‐side (S/S) configuration where the two streams of the PLLA and PDLA solutions were brought together in parallel needles driven by precision fluid pumps. The electrospinning process has been extensively reported over the last two decades and represents a simple and versatile research tool to study material properties at the nano‐meter dimension . There have also been several studies on S/S nanofiber fabrication process, but the characteristics and application potentials of nano structures constructed through the process are only beginning to be appreciated.…”

A Fluffy Dual‐Network Structured Nanofiber/Net Filter Enables High‐Efficiency Air Filtration

“…Nanofiber‐based filters, as the forefront of advanced air filters, show advantages of lower material/energy consumption and prolonged service life . To prepare these nanofiber filters, in contrast to other methods, electrospinning has evoked substantial attention, considering its ability to prepare nanofibers with uniform diameter, robust mechanical property, and fine flexibility . To date, many kinds of electrospun nanofibers from different polymers have been produced as air filters, and exhibit enhanced removal efficiency, lower thickness, and lighter base weight compared to their counterparts .…”