Microsphere-Fiber Interpenetrated Superhydrophobic PVDF Microporous Membranes with Improved Waterproof and Breathable Performance

Abstract

Superhydrophobic membranes with extreme liquid water repellency property are good candidates for waterproof and breathable application. Different from the mostly used strategies through either mixing or postmodifying base membranes with perfluorinated compounds, we report in this work a facile methodology to fabricate superhydrophobic microporous membranes made up of pure poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) via a high-humidity induced electrospinning process. The superhydrophobic property of the PVDF microporous membrane is contributed by its special microsphere-fiber interpenetrated rough structure. The effective pore size and porosity of the PVDF membranes could be well tuned by simply adjusting the PVDF concentrations in polymer solutions. The membrane with optimized superhydrophobicity and porous structure exhibits improved waterproof and breathable performance with hydrostatic pressure up to 62 kPa, water vapor transmission rate (WVT rate) of 10.6 kg m d, and simultaneously outstanding windproof performance with air permeability up to 1.3 mm s. Our work represents a rather simple and perfluorinated-free strategy for fabricating superhydrophobic microporous membranes, which matches well with the environmentally friendly requirement from the viewpoint of practical application.

Hydration-Enhanced Lubricating Electrospun Nanofibrous Membranes Prevent Tissue Adhesion

“…Electrospinning is a robust technology to fabricate functional nanofibers [1]. Manipulating the composition, structure, and surface property enabled researchers to develop electrospun nanofibers with unique performances such as superhydrophobicity/hydrophilicity [2][3][4], piezoelectric conversion [5,6], and multiple response [7,8]. Electrospun nanofibers have found extensive applications in the energy, environment, and biomedical field [1].…”

Waterproof and Breathable Electrospun Nanofibrous Membranes

“…Besides, its inherently good hydrophobicity, high chemical corrosion resistance, and heat resistance, render it to be the most commonly used hydrophobic polymer for the fabrication of W&B nanofibrous membranes . Some researchers had fabricated pure electrospun PVDF W&B membranes with thick fibers and large pores, thus the resultant materials exhibited limited waterproof performance and poor mechanical properties . In this sense, considerable efforts have been focused on optimizing the porous structure of PVDF membranes to improve their application performance .…”

“…[43] Some researchers had fabricated pure electrospun PVDF W&B membranes with thick fibers and large pores, thus the resultant materials exhibited limited waterproof performance and poor mechanical properties. [44,45] In this sense, considerable efforts have been focused on optimizing the porous structure of PVDF membranes to improve their application performance. [46][47][48] In general, there are two methods to optimize the structure of PVDF membranes, including adjusting the properties of electrospinning solution and thermal post-treatment.…”

Green and Ethanol‐Resistant Polyurethane Nanofibrous Membranes Based on an Ethanol Solvent for Waterproof and Breathable Textiles

“…Most recently, electrospun nanofibrous membranes have attracted growing attention benefiting from the high porosity, adjustable porous structure, and tunable wettability. [ 15,16 ] Accordingly, various categories of electrospun W&B nanofibrous membranes have been prepared utilizing different polymers, including PU, [ 17 ] polyvinylidene fluoride, [ 18 ] polyacrylonitrile, [ 19 ] and polyvinyl butyral. [ 20 ] Thereinto, electrospun PU W&B membranes received the most attention benefiting from the good mechanical property.…”