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Abstract In nature, spider web is an interwoven network with high stability and elasticity from silk threads secreted by spider. Inspired by the structure of spider webs, light‐driven liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) active yarn is designed with super‐contractile and robust weavability. Herein, a novel biomimetic gold nanorods (AuNRs) @LCE yarn soft actuator with hierarchical structure is fabricated by a facile electrospinning and subsequent photocrosslinking strategies. Meanwhile, the inherent mechanism and actuation performances of the as‐prepared yarn actuator with interleaving network are systematically analyzed. Results demonstrate that thanks to the unique “like‐spider webs” structure between fibers, high molecular orientation within the LCE microfibers and good flexibility, they can generate super actuation strain (≈81%) and stable actuation performances. Importantly, benefit from the robust covalent bonding at the organic–inorganic interface, photopolymerizable AuNRs molecules are uniformly introduced into the polymer backbone of electrospun LCE yarn to achieve tailorable shape‐morphing under different light intensity stimulation. As a proof‐of‐concept illustration, light‐driven artificial muscles, micro swimmers, and hemostatic bandages are successfully constructed. The research disclosed herein can offer new insights into continuous production and development of LCE‐derived yarn actuator that are of paramount significance for many applications from smart fabrics to flexible wearable devices.

Antibacterial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI) is one of the treatments developed in response to AMR during the past decade. Bioactive composites with photodynamic inactivation properties were engineered from bacterial cellulose and Icariin and successfully inclusion-complexed into beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with an abundance of carboxylic, hydroxyl, phenol and alkyne reactive groups. The membranes demonstrated excellent antibacterial photodynamic inactivation capabilities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (E. coli) 8099 with rates >99.9999%. Photodynamic action studies showed that reduced oxygen species (ROS), singlet oxygen (1O2) were produced in the reaction process by the prepared materials to catalyze the inactivation process. ROS is thought to be produced by both Type I and Type II ROS reaction mechanisms, with Type II being the most prevalent. The materials showed decent reusability. The composites proved to be great candidates for a new generation of textiles that can combat bacteria, parasites, fungus, and viruses with systematic drug release (Icariin), significant antioxidant characteristics, and no toxicity on L929 cells.

Magnetic protective fabrics with fine wearability and great protective properties are highly desirable for aerospace, national defense, and wearable protective applications. The study of the controllable preparation method of Nd3+ doped in Fe3O4 nanoparticles with supposed magnetic properties remains a challenge. The characterization of the microstructure, elemental composition, and magnetic properties of NdFe2O4 nanoparticles was verified. Then, the surface of NdFe2O4 was treated with glyceric acid to provide sufficient –OH. Subsequently, the connection of the nanoparticle by the succinimide group was studied and then grafted onto cotton fabrics as its bridging effect. The optimal loading rate of the functional fabrics with nanoparticles of an average size of 230 nm was 1.37% after a 25% alkali pretreatment. The color fatness to rubbing results showed better stability after washing and drying. The corresponding hysteresis loop indicated that the functional fabrics exhibited typical magnetism behavior with a closed “S” shape and a magnetic saturation value of 17.61 emu.g−1 with a particle size of 230 nm. However, the magnetic saturation value of the cotton fabric of 90 nm was just 4.89 emu.g−1, exhibiting controllable preparation for the aimed electromagnetic properties and great potential in radiation protective fields. The electrochemical properties of the functional fabrics exhibited extremely weak electrical conductivity caused by the movement of the magnetic dipole derived from the NdFe2O4 nanoparticles.

Nerve decellularized matrix (NDM) has received much attention due to its natural composition and structural advantages that had proven to be an excellent candidate for peripheral nerve regeneration. However, NDM with simultaneous biocompatibility, promoting nerve regeneration, as well as resistant to infection was rarely reporter. In this study, a porous NDM-CS scaffold with high antimicrobial activity and high biocompatibility was prepared by combining the advantages of both NDM and chitosan (CS) in a one-step method. The NDM-CS scaffold possessed high porosity and hydrophilicity, exhibited excellent biocompatibility which was suitable for cell growth and nutrient exchange. Meanwhile, NDM-CS scaffold had a significant antibacterial effect on both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which could avoid wound infection during the repair process. In addition, the NDM-CS scaffold could support the growth and viability of Schwann cells effectively. Among them, the E2C1 group had the strongest ability to enhance proliferation, polarization and migration of Schwann cells among the three groups. The positive effect on Schwann cells indicated their ability in the process of nerve injury repair. Therefore, this NDM-CS scaffold may have potential prospects for application in neural tissue engineering.

In this research work, in-situ self-assembly approach was used the first time, to cultivate bacterial cellulose on the surface of fibers, extracted from banana peels. The characterization was performed using SEM, FTIR, and single fiber tensile test in order to determine the surface morphology and mechanical properties of modified fibers. As-prepared hybrid fibers exhibited comparatively better mechanical properties, which can be attributed to the self-assembly of bacterial cellulose on banana fibers’ surface. Overall, this research work suggests a novel route for fiber extraction from banana peels and to use them for the preparation of bio nano-composites with improved mechanical properties.

Optical excitation is widely acknowledged as one of the most effective means of balancing sensor responses and response/recovery properties at room temperature (RT, 25 °C). Moreover, noble metals have been proven to be suitable as photosensitizers for optical excitation. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) determines the liberalization of quasi-free electrons in noble metals under light irradiation, and numerous injected electrons in semiconductors will greatly promote the generation of chemisorbed oxygen, thus elevating the sensor response. In this study, pure SnO2 and Au/SnO2 nanowires (NWs) were successfully synthesized through the electrospinning method and validated using XRD, EDS, HRTEM, and XPS. Although a Schottky barrier led to a much higher initial resistance of the Au/SnO2 composite compared with pure SnO2 at RT in the dark, the photoinduced resistance of the Au/SnO2 composite became lower than that of pure SnO2 under UV irradiation with the same intensity, which confirmed the effect of LSPR. Furthermore, when used as sensing materials, a detailed comparison between the sensing properties of pure SnO2 and Au/SnO2 composite toward NO2 in the dark and under UV irradiation highlighted the crucial role of the LSPR effects. In particular, the response of Au/SnO2 NWs toward 5 ppm NO2 could reach 65 at RT under UV irradiation, and the response/recovery time was only 82/42 s, which far exceeded those under Au modification-only or optical excitation-only. Finally, the gas-sensing mechanism corresponding to the change in sensor performance in each case was systematically proposed.

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), as a green energy harvesting technology, has aroused tremendous interest across many fields, such as wearable electronics, implanted electronic devices, and human-machine interfaces. Fabric and fiber-structured materials are excellent candidates for TENG materials due to their inherent flexibility, low cost, and high wearing comfort. Consequently, it is crucial to combine TENG with fabric/fiber materials to simultaneously leverage their mechanical energy harvesting and wearability advantages. In this review, the structure and fundamentals of TENG are briefly explained, followed by the introduction of three distinct methods for preparing fabric/fiber structures: spinning and weaving, wet spinning, and electrospinning. In the meantime, their applications have been discussed, focusing primarily on energy harvesting and wearable self-powered sensors. Finally, we discussed the future and challenges of fabric and fiber-based TENGs.

MgFe2O4/graphene aerogel (MFO/GA) composites were designed and fabricated through a combined electrospinning technique and hydrothermal-induced self-assembly strategy, in which the MFO nanofibers with high crystallinity were wrapped homogeneously and tightly. The as-synthesized MFO/GA composites formed a three-dimensional (3D) conductive network structure with large surface area, high porosity, and high conductivity, which are favorable to accommodate the volume changes of MFO during the repeated lithiation-delithiation processes, shorten the diffusion path, and promote the ions/electrons transfer. As anode material for half-cell, a high reversible capacity of ~1104 mAh g−1 is obtained after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g−1. Even at 1 A g−1, the MFO/GA delivers a stable capacity of ~686 mAh g−1 over 500 cycles, exhibiting superior rate performance. When assembled with commercial LiCoO2 cathode to build a full cell system, the MFO/GA anode also can show a reversible capacity of ~714 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. The excellent electrochemical performance of MFO/GA in both half and full cells indicates its potential application in practical lithium-ion batteries in the future. Keywords: Magnesium ferrite, Graphene aerogel, Anode, Lithium storage, Full cell

This report summarizes efforts undertaken in the area of drug delivery, with a look at further efforts made in the area of bacterial cellulose (BC) biomedical applications in general. There are many current methodologies (past and present) for the creation of BC membrane composites custom-engineered with drug delivery functionality, with brief consideration for very close applications within the broader category of biomedicine. The most emphasis was placed on the crucial aspects that open the door to the possibility of drug delivery or the potential for use as drug carriers. Additionally, consideration has been given to laboratory explorations as well as already established BC-drug delivery systems (DDS) that are either on the market commercially or have been patented in anticipation of future commercialization. The cellulose producing strains, current synthesis and growth pathways, critical aspects and intrinsic morphological features of BC were given maximum consideration, among other crucial aspects of BC DDS.

Increasing issues of pathogen drug resistance and spreading pose a serious threat to the ability to treat common infectious diseases, which encourages people to explore effective technology to meet the challenge. Photodynamic antibacterial inactivation (aPDI) is being explored for inactivating pathogens, which could be used as a novel approach to prevent this threat. Here, porphyrin-embedded MOF material (PCN-224) with photodynamic effect was synthesized, then the PCN-224 nanoparticles (NPs) were embedded into PAN nanofibers with an electrospinning process (PAN-PCN nanofiber membrane). On the one hand, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers help to improve the stability of PCN-224 NPs, which could avoid their leakage. On the other, the PAN nanofibers are used as a support material to load bactericidal PCN-224 NPs, realizing recycling after bacterial elimination. An antibacterial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI) study demonstrated that the PAN-PCN 0.6% nanofiber membrane processed 3.00 log unit elimination towards a E. coli bacterial strain and 4.70 log unit towards a S. aureus strain under illumination. A mechanism study revealed that this efficient bacterial elimination was due to singlet oxygen (1O2). Although the materials are highly phototoxic, an MTT assay showed that the as fabricated nanofiber membranes had good biocompatibility in the dark, and the cell survival rates were all above 85%. Taken together, this work provided an application prospect of nanofibers with an aPDI effect to deal with the issues of pathogen drug resistance and spreading.

Owing to the multi-dimensional complexity of human motions, traditional uniaxial strain sensors lack the accuracy in monitoring dynamic body motions working in different directions, thus multidirectional strain sensors with excellent electromechanical performance are urgently in need. Towards this goal, in this work, a stretchable biaxial strain sensor based on double elastic fabric (DEF) was developed by incorporating carboxylic multi-walled carbon nanotubes(c-MWCNTs) and polypyrrole (PPy) into fabric through simple, scalable soaking and adsorption-oxidizing methods. The fabricated DEF/c-MWCNTs/PPy strain sensor exhibited outstanding anisotropic strain sensing performance, including relatively high sensitivity with the maximum gauge factor (GF) of 5.2, good stretchability of over 80%, fast response time < 100 ms, favorable electromechanical stability, and durability for over 800 stretching–releasing cycles. Moreover, applications of DEF/c-MWCNTs/PPy strain sensor for wearable devices were also reported, which were used for detecting human subtle motions and dynamic large-scale motions. The unconventional applications of DEF/c-MWCNTs/PPy strain sensor were also demonstrated by monitoring complex multi-degrees-of-freedom synovial joint motions of human body, such as neck and shoulder movements, suggesting that such materials showed a great potential to be applied in wearable electronics and personal healthcare monitoring.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofibers have been widely applied in various fields including photocatalysis, energy storage and solar cells due to the advantages of low cost, high abundance and nontoxicity. However, the low conductivity of ions and bulk electrons hinder its rapid development in lithium-ion batteries (LIB). In order to improve the electrochemical performances of TiO2 nanomaterials as anode for LIB, hierarchically porous TiO2 nanofibers with different tetrabutyl titanate (TBT)/paraffin oil ratios were prepared as anode for LIB via a versatile single-nozzle microemulsion electrospinning (ME-ES) method followed by calcining. The experimental results indicated that TiO2 nanofibers with the higher TBT/paraffin oil ratio demonstrated more axially aligned channels and a larger specific surface area. Furthermore, they presented superior lithium-ion storage properties in terms of specific capacity, rate capability and cycling performance compared with solid TiO2 nanofibers for LIB. The initial discharge and charge capacity of porous TiO2 nanofibers with a TBT/paraffin oil ratio of 2.25 reached up to 634.72 and 390.42 mAh·g−1, thus resulting in a coulombic efficiency of 61.51%; and the discharge capacity maintained 264.56 mAh·g−1 after 100 cycles, which was much higher than that of solid TiO2 nanofibers. TiO2 nanofibers with TBT/paraffin oil ratio of 2.25 still obtained a high reversible capacity of 204.53 mAh·g−1 when current density returned back to 40 mA·g−1 after 60 cycles at increasing stepwise current density from 40 mA·g−1 to 800 mA·g−1. Herein, hierarchically porous TiO2 nanofibers have the potential to be applied as anode for lithium-ion batteries in practical applications.

A “super” bioactive antibacterial hydrogel, Icariin-β-CD-inclusion complex/Bacterial cellulose and an equally capable counterpart Icariin-Bacterial cellulose (ICBC) were successfully produced with excellent antioxidant properties. The highly porous hydrogels demonstrated very high fluid/liquid absorption capability and were functionally active as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) test confirmed the existence of abundant hydroxyls (-OH stretching), carboxylic acids (-CH2/C-O stretching), Alkyne/nitrile (C≡C/C≡N stretching with triple bonds) and phenol (C-H/N-O symmetric stretching) functional groups. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests confirmed a successful β-CD-inclusion complexation with Icariin with a great potential for sustained and controlled drug release. In vitro drug release test results indicated a systemic and controlled release of the drug (Icariin) from the internal cavities of the β-CD inclusion complex incorporated inside the BC matrix with high Icariin (drug) release rates. Impressive inactivation rates against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC 8099 and gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538; >99.19% and >98.89% respectively were recorded, as the materials proved to be non-toxic on L929 cells in the in vitro cytotoxicity test results. The materials with promising versatile multipurpose administration of Icariin for wound dressing (as wound dressers), can also be executed as implants for tissue regeneration, as well as face-mask for cosmetic purposes.

A one-step method for laccase production and immobilization using the waste culture of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) was developed, and the laccase was immobilized by the mycelium, which was in the form of a white membrane consisting of superfine fibers. This medical and edible membrane was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the fiber diameter was found to be between 1 and 3 μm, with a porous structure formed in the membrane. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the membrane contained polysaccharide groups and had good thermal resistivity. The membrane was used for the decolorization of methyl violet and malachite green, while the MTT test showed that the membrane had good biocompatibility. The experimental results indicated that the membrane might be applicable for other environmental protection applications in the future.

Indium nitrate/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (In(NO3)3/PVP) composite nanofibers were synthesized via electrospinning, and then hollow structure indium oxide (In2O3) nanofibers were obtained through calcination with PVP as template material. In situ polymerization was used to prepare indium oxide/polyaniline (In2O3/PANI) composite nanofibers with different mass ratios of In2O3 to aniline. The structure and morphology of In(NO3)3/PVP, In2O3/PANI composite nanofibers and pure PANI were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and current–voltage (I–V) measurements. The gas sensing properties of these materials towards NH3 vapor (100 to 1000 ppm) were measured at room temperature. The results revealed that the gas sensing abilities of In2O3/PANI composite nanofibers were better than pure PANI. In addition, the mass ratio of In2O3 to aniline and the p–n heterostructure between In2O3 and PANI influences the sensing performance of the In2O3/PANI composite nanofibers. In this paper, In2O3/PANI composite nanofibers with a mass ratio of 1:2 exhibited the highest response values, excellent selectivity, good repeatability and reversibility.

NiCu alloy nanoparticle-loaded carbon nanofibers (NiCuCNFs) were fabricated by a combination of electrospinning and carbonization methods. A series of characterizations, including SEM, TEM and XRD, were employed to study the NiCuCNFs. The as-prepared NiCuCNFs were then mixed with laccase (Lac) and Nafion to form a novel biosensor. NiCuCNFs successfully achieved the direct electron transfer of Lac. Cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry were used to study the electrochemical properties of the biosensor. The finally prepared biosensor showed favorable electrocatalytic effects toward hydroquinone. The detection limit was 90 nM (S/N = 3), the sensitivity was 1.5 µA µM−1, the detection linear range was 4 × 10−7–2.37 × 10−6 M. In addition, this biosensor exhibited satisfactory repeatability, reproducibility, anti-interference properties and stability. Besides, the sensor achieved the detection of hydroquinone in lake water.

Towards the goal of developing scalable, economical and effective antimicrobial textiles to reduce infection transmission, here we prepared color-variable photodynamic materials comprised of photosensitizer (PS)-loaded wool/acrylic (W/A) blends. Wool fibers in the W/A blended fabrics were loaded with the photosensitizer rose bengal (RB), and the acrylic fibers were dyed with a variety of traditional cationic dyes (cationic yellow, cationic blue and cationic red) to broaden their color range. Investigations on the colorimetric and photodynamic properties of a series of these materials were implemented through CIELab evaluation, as well as photooxidation and antibacterial studies. Generally, the photodynamic efficacy of these dual-dyed fabrics was impacted by both the choice, and how much of the traditional cationic dye was employed in the dyeing of the W/A fabrics. When compared with the PS-only singly-dyed material, RB-W/A, that showed a 99.97% (3.5 log units; p = 0.02) reduction of Staphylococcus aureus under visible light illumination (λ ≥ 420 nm, 60 min), the addition of cationic dyes led to a slight decrease in the photoinactivation ability of the dual-dyed fabrics, but was still able to achieve a 99.3% inactivation of S. aureus. Overall, our findings demonstrate the feasibility and potential applications of low cost and color variable RB-loaded W/A blended fabrics as effective self-disinfecting textiles against pathogen transmission.

To develop a wound dressing material that conforms to the healing process, we prepared a multilayer composite (MC) membrane consisting of an antibacterial layer (ABL), a reinforcement layer (RFL), and a healing promotion layer (HPL). Biocompatible zein/ethyl cellulose (zein/EC) electrospun nanofibrous membranes with in situ loaded antibacterial photosensitizer protoporphyrin (PPIX) and healing promotion material vaccarin (Vac) were, respectively, chosen as the ABL on the surface and the HPL on the bottom, between which nonwoven incorporated bacterial cellulose (BC/PETN) as the HPL was intercalated to enhance the mechanical property. Photodynamic antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was confirmed by the enlarged inhibition zones; meanwhile, satisfactory biocompatibility of the HPL was verified by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) of L929 cells cultured on its surface. The potential effects on wound healing in a mice skin defect model of the MC membranes were also evaluated. The animal experiments demonstrated that the wound healing rate in the MC group was significantly increased compared with that in the control group (p < 0.05). Histopathological observation revealed an alleviated inflammatory response, accompanied with vascular proliferation in the MC group. The MC membranes significantly promoted wound healing by creating an antibacterial environment and promoting angiogenesis. Taken together, this MC membrane may act as a promising wound dressing for skin wound healing.

Removal of a triphenylmethane dye (crystal violet, CV) by a simultaneous enzymatic-photocatalytic-adsorption treatment was investigated in this work. A desirable synergistic effect on dye treatment was achieved by decorating laccase (Lac) onto the surface of TiO2 sol-gel coated polyacrylonitrile/organically modified montmorillonite (PAN/O-MMT) nanofibers prepared by electrospinning. The assembly of Lac on the surface of PAN/O-MMT/TiO2 nanofibers was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). In comparison with free Lac, the immobilized Lac showed better pH, temperature and operational stabilities, reaching highest relative activity at an optimum pH of 3 and optimum temperature of 50 °C. Therefore, the immobilized Lac displayed a higher degradation efficiency of CV at an initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L, an optimum pH of 4.5 and temperature at 60 °C. Under UV illumination, the CV removal efficiency was further improved by ~20%. These results demonstrated that the Lac-immobilized PAN/O-MMT/TiO2 composite nanofibers with a combined effect between the immobilized enzyme and the polymeric support have potential for industrial dye degradation.

The high catalytic activity of membrane-binding gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) makes its application in oxidation or reduction an attractive challenge. Herein, surface-functionalized bacterial cellulose (BC-poly(HEMA)) was successfully prepared with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as monomers via the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method. BC-poly(HEMA) was further utilized as not only reducing agent but also carrier for uniform distribution of the AuNPs in the diameter of about 8 nm on the membrane surface during the synthesis stage. The synthesized AuNPs/BC-poly(HEMA) exhibited excellent catalytic activity and reusability for reducing 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) from NaBH4. The results proved that the catalytic performance of AuNPs/BC-poly(HEMA) was affected by the surrounding temperature and pH, and AuNPs/BC-poly(HEMA) maintained the extremely high catalytic activity of AuNPs/BC-poly(HEMA) even after 10 reuses. In addition, no 4-NP was detected in the degradation solution after being stored for 45 days. The reusable catalyst prepared by this work shows a potential industrial application prospect.

Camphor sulfonic acid (CSA)-doped polyamide 6/polyaniline (PA6/PANI) composite nanofibers were fabricated using in situ polymerization of aniline under different CSA concentrations (0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.10 M) with electrospun PA6 nanofibers as templates. The structural, morphological and ammonia sensing properties of the prepared composite nanofibers were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), four-point probe techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a home-made gas sensing test system. All the results indicated that the CSA concentration had a great influence on the sensing properties of CSA-doped PA6/PANI composite nanofibers. The composite nanofibers doped with 0.02 M CSA showed the best ammonia sensing properties, with a significant sensitivity toward ammonia (NH3) at room temperature, superior to that of the composite nanofibers doped with 0.04–0.10 mol/L CSA. It was found that for high concentrations of CSA, the number of PANI–H+ reacted with NH3 would not make up a high proportion of all PANI–H+ within certain limits. As a result, within a certain range even though higher CSA-doped PA6/PANI nanofibers had better conductivity, their ammonia sensing performance would degrade.

In this work, amidoxime polyacrylonitrile (AOPAN) nanofibrous membrane was prepared by a reaction between PAN nanofibers and hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The AOPAN nanofibrous membranes were used for four metal ions (Fe3+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Cd2+) chelation under different conditions. Further, the competition of different metal ions coordinating with AOPAN nanofibrous membrane was also studied. The AOPAN chelated with individual metal ion (Fe3+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Cd2+) and also the four mixed metal ions were further used for laccase (Lac) immobilization. Compared with free laccase, the immobilized laccase showed better resistance to pH and temperature changes as well as improved storage stability. Among the four individual metal ion chelated membranes, the stability of the immobilized enzymes generally followed the order as Fe–AOPAN–Lac > Cu–AOPAN–Lac > Ni–AOPAN–Lac > Cd–AOPAN–Lac. In addition, the immobilized enzyme on the carrier of AOPAN chelated with four mixed metal ions showed the best properties.

The treatment of catechol via biocatalysis and adsorption with a commercial laccase immobilized on polyacrylonitrile/montmorillonite/graphene oxide (PAN/MMT/GO) composite nanofibers was evaluated with a homemade nanofibrous membrane reactor. The properties in this process of the immobilized laccase on PAN, PAN/MMT as well as PAN/MMT/GO with different weight ratios of MMT and GO were investigated. These membranes were successfully applied for removal of catechol from an aqueous solution. Scanning electron microscope images revealed different morphologies of the enzyme aggregates on different supports. After incorporation of MMT or MMT/GO, the optimum pH showed an alkaline shift to 4, compared to 3.5 for laccase immobilized on pure PAN nanofibers. The optimum temperature was at 55 °C for all the immobilized enzymes. Besides, the addition of GO improved the operational stability and storage stability. A 39% ± 2.23% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal from the catechol aqueous solution was achieved. Experimental results suggested that laccase, PAN, adsorbent nanoparticles (MMT/GO) can be combined together for catechol treatment in industrial applications.

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared by combining electrospinning with a high-temperature carbonization technique. And a polyphenol biosensor was fabricated by blending the obtained CNFs with laccase and Nafion. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) were, respectively, employed to investigate the structures and morphologies of the CNFs and of the mixtures. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry were employed to study the electrocatalysis of the catechol biosensor. The results indicated that the sensitivity of the biosensor was 41 µA·mM−1, the detection limit was 0.63 µM, the linear range was 1–1310 µM and the response time was within 2 seconds, which excelled most other laccase-based biosensor reported. Furthermore, the biosensor showed good repeatability, reproducibility, stability and tolerance to interferences. This novel biosensor also demonstrated its promising application in detecting catechol in real water samples.

The study compared the biosensing properties of laccase biosensors based on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and copper/carbon composite nanofibers (Cu/CNFs). The two kinds of nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning and carbonization under the same conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to investigate the morphologies and structures of CNFs and Cu/CNFs. The amperometric results indicated that the Cu/CNFs/laccase(Lac)/Nafion/glass carbon electrode (GCE) possessed reliable analytical performance for the detection of catechol. The sensitivity of the Cu/CNFs/Lac/Nafion/GCE reached 33.1 μA/mM, larger than that of CNFs/Lac/Nafion/GCE. Meanwhile, Cu/CNFs/Lac/Nafion/GCE had a wider linear range from 9.95 × 10−6 to 9.76 × 10−3 M and a lower detection limit of 1.18 μM than CNFs/Lac/Nafion/GCE. Moreover, it exhibited a good repeatability, reproducibility, selectivity and long-term stability, revealing that electrospun Cu/CNFs have great potential in biosensing.

Molybdenum disulfide has been one of the most studied hydrogen evolution catalyst materials in recent years, but its disadvantages, such as poor conductivity, hinder its further development. Here, we employ the common hydrothermal method, followed by an additional solvothermal method to construct an uncommon molybdenum disulfide with two crystal forms of 1T and 2H to improve catalytic properties. The low overpotential (180 mV) and small Tafel slope (88 mV/dec) all indicated that molybdenum disulfide had favorable catalytic performance for hydrogen evolution. Further conjunctions revealed that the improvement of performance was probably related to the structural changes brought about by the 1T phase and the resulting sulfur vacancies, which could be used as a reference for the further application of MoS2.

The commonly used preparation methods of polypropylene functionalization require special equipment to be put into use or take a long time, which limits its application. Therefore, a simple and economical method for preparing silver functionalized nonwoven polypropylene membrane was studied herein. Triethanolamine was first coated on the surface of the polypropylene, and then Ag was deposited on the surface of polypropylene using a continuous reduction reaction of triethanolamine and silver ions. Surface morphology, crystal structure, and surface chemistry during the preparation of Ag functionalized nonwoven polypropylene were investigated. The electrical conductivity, electromagnetic shielding properties, and washing durability of the treated nonwoven polypropylene were also studied. It was found that Ag was uniformly deposited on the surface of the nonwoven polypropylene, and the coating reaction did not change the chemical structure of the polypropylene. The crystallinity and thermal stability of polypropylene were improved after silver coated polypropylene. The washing experiment results showed that the weight gain rate of the treated nonwoven relative to the untreated sample after the 90 min washing ranged from 6.72% to 9.64%. The resistance test results showed that the maximum surface resistivity of Ag coated nonwoven polypropylene was about 1.95 × 105 Ω, which was 64,615 times lower than the original. In addition, the results showed that the maximum electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of the Ag coated nonwoven polypropylene was about 71.6 dB, showing a very good electromagnetic shielding effect.

In this study, a novel green adsorbent material prepared by the esterification of bacterial cellulose (BC) and graphene oxide (GO), richly containing hydroxyl, alkyl, and carboxylate groups was characterised by FTIR (Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (Scanning electron microscopy) and TGA (Thermo-graphimetric analysis). The specific surface area (SSA) and pore size distribution (PSD) analysis of materials were also analysed. Batch experiments–adsorption studies confirmed the material to have a very high Pb2+ removal efficiency of over 90% at pH 6–8. Kinetic studies showed that the uptake of metal ions was rapid with equilibrium attained after 30 min and fitted well with the pseudo-second-order rate model (PSO). Isotherm results with a maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) of 303.03 mg/g were well described by Langmuir’s model compared to Freundlich. Desorption and re-adsorption experiments realised that both adsorbent and adsorbates could be over 90–95% efficiently recovered and reused using 0.1 M HNO3 and 0.1 M HCl.

The TiO2-montmorillonite (TiO2-MMT) complex was prepared by blending TiO2 sol and MMT with certain ratio, and its properties as an enzyme immobilization support were investigated. The pristine MMT and TiO2-MMT calcined at 800 °C (TiO2-MMT800) were used for comparison to better understand the immobilization mechanism. The structures of the pristine MMT, TiO2-MMT, and TiO2-MMT800 were examined by HR-TEM, XRD and BET. SEM was employed to study different morphologies before and after laccase immobilization. Activity and kinetic parameters of the immobilized laccase were also determined. It was found that the TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully introduced into the MMT layer structure, and this intercalation enlarged the “d value” of two adjacent MMT layers and increased the surface area, while the calcination process led to a complete collapse of the MMT layers. SEM results showed that the clays were well coated with adsorbed enzymes. The study of laccase activity revealed that the optimum pH and temperature were pH = 3 and 60 °C, respectively. In addition, the storage stability for the immobilized laccase was satisfactory. The kinetic properties indicated that laccase immobilized on TiO2-MMT complexes had a good affinity to the substrate. It has been proved that TiO2-MMT complex is a good candidate for enzyme immobilization.

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning and they were modified with hydroxylamine to synthesize amidoxime polyacrylonitrile (AOPAN) chelating nanofibers, which were applied to adsorb copper and iron ions. The conversion of the nitrile group in PAN was calculated by the gravimetric method. The structure and surface morphology of the AOPAN nanofiber were characterized by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The adsorption abilities of Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions onto the AOPAN nanofiber mats were evaluated. FT-IR spectra showed nitrile groups in the PAN were partly converted into amidoxime groups. SEM examination demonstrated that there were no serious cracks or sign of degradation on the surface of the PAN nanofibers after chemical modification. The adsorption capacities of both copper and iron ions onto the AOPAN nanofiber mats were higher than those into the raw PAN nanofiber mats. The adsorption data of Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions fitted particularly well with the Langmuir isotherm. The maximal adsorption capacities of Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions were 215.18 and 221.37 mg/g, respectively.

Titanium dioxide-polyaniline/polyamide 6 (TiO2-PANI/PA6) composite nanofibers were prepared by in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of PA6 nanofibers and a sputtering-deposition process with a high purity titanium sputtering target. TiO2-PANI/PA6 composite nanofibers and PANI/PA6 composite nanofibers were fabricated for ammonia gas sensing. The ammonia sensing behaviors of the sensors were examined at room temperature. All the results indicated that the ammonia sensing property of TiO2-PANI/PA6 composite nanofibers was superior to that of PANI/PA6 composite nanofibers. TiO2-PANI/PA6 composite nanofibers had good selectivity to ammonia. It was also found that the content of TiO2 had a great influence on both the morphology and the sensing property of TiO2-PANI/PA6 composite nanofibers.

PVA/PA6 composite nanofibers were formed by electrospinning. Cu(II)-PVA/PA6 metal chelated nanofibers, prepared by the reaction between PVA/PA6 composite nanofibers and Cu2+ solution, were used as the support for catalase immobilization. The result of the experiments showed that PVA/PA6 composite nanofibers had an excellent chelation capacity for Cu2+ ions, and the structures of nanofibers were stable during the reaction with Cu2+ solution. The adsorption of Cu(II) onto PVA/PA6 composite nanofibers was studied by the Langmuir isothermal adsorption model. The maximum amount of coordinated Cu(II) (qm) was 3.731 mmol/g (dry fiber), and the binding constant (Kl) was 0.0593 L/mmol. Kinetic parameters were analyzed for both immobilized and free catalases. The value of Vmax (3774 μmol/mg·min) for the immobilized catalases was smaller than that of the free catalases (4878 μmol/mg·min), while the Km for the immobilized catalases was larger. The immobilized catalases showed better resistance to pH and temperature than that of free form, and the storage stabilities, reusability of immobilized catalases were significantly improved. The half-lives of free and immobilized catalases were 8 days and 24 days, respectively.

The cost and efficiency of preparing ZnO/Ag composite functional polyester membrane affect their application, for which a rapid microwave-assisted method was studied for coating ZnO/Ag composite nanoparticles on polyester nonwoven. The surface morphology, crystalline structure, and surface chemistry of the uncoated and coated polyester nonwoven was investigated by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric (TG), respectively. Washing stability, ultraviolet properties, and antibacterial properties of before and after treatment polyester nonwoven were also investigated. The results indicated that Ag/ZnO composite nanoparticles were successfully deposited on polyester nonwoven surface. The amount of silver nitrate added in reaction has an important effect on the morphology and structure of Ag/ZnO composite on the surface of polyester fiber. The washing experiment results show that the ZnO/Ag composite functional polyester nonwoven fabric prepared by this method exhibits good washing durability after 90 min of washing. The results of UV transmission analysis showed that polyester nonwoven has an obvious increase in ultraviolet resistant properties after Ag/ZnO composite coating. When 0.2 g of silver nitrate was added into 100 mL of the reaction solution, the mean ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of the treated polyester nonwoven reached a maximum of 219.8. The antibacterial results showed that the coated nonwoven against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was about 94.5% and 96.6%, respectively, showing very good antibacterial properties.

Self-assembling fabrication methodology has recently attracted attention for the production of bio-degradable polymer nanocomposites. In this research work, bacterial cellulose/electrospun nanofiber hybrid mats (BC/CA-ENM) were formed by incorporating cellulose acetate electrospun nanofiber membranes (CA-ENMs) in the fermentation media, followed by in situ self-assembly of bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers. ENMs exhibit excessive hydrophobicity, attributed to their high crystallinity and reorientation of hydrophobic groups at the air/solid interfaces. We aimed to improve the hydrophilic and other functional properties of ENMs. As-prepared nanohybrid structures were characterized using SEM and FTIR. SEM results revealed that in situ self-assembling of BC nanofibers onto the electrospun membrane’s surface and penetration into pores gradually increased with extended fermentation periods. The surface hydrophilicity and water absorption capacity of as-prepared hybrid mats was also tested and analyzed. Hybrid mats were observably more hydrophilic than an electrospun membrane and more hydrophobic compared to BC films. In addition, the incorporation of CA electrospun membranes in the culture media as a foundation for BC nanofiber growth resulted in improved tensile strength of the hybrid nanocomposites compared to ENMs. Overall, the results indicated the successful fabrication of nanocomposites through a novel approach, with samples demonstrating improved functional properties.

Al/TiO2 composite film was successfully deposited on polyester fabrics by using magnetron sputtering techniques. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to examine the deposited films on the fabrics, and the structural colors and anti-ultraviolet property of fabrics were also analyzed. The results indicated that polyester fabrics coated with Al/TiO2 composite films achieved structural colors. The reactive sputtering times of TiO2 films in Al/TiO2 composite films were 10 min, 12 min, 18 min, 20 min, 26 min, 27 min, 30 min and 45 min, respectively, the colors of corresponding fabrics were bluish violet, blue, cyan, green, yellow, yellowish red, orange and blue-green, which was consistent with the principle of the thin film interference. The structure of the TiO2 film in Al/TiO2 composite films was non-crystalline, though the fabrics were heated and maintained at the temperature of 200 °C. The anti-ultraviolet property of the fabrics deposited with Al/TiO2 composite films were excellent because of the effect of Al/TiO2 composite films.

SnO2 nanofibers and their composites based photoanodes were fabricated and investigated in the application of dye-sensitized solar cells. The photoanode made of SnO2/TiO2 composites yielded an over 2-fold improvement in overall conversion efficiency. The microstructure of SnO2 nanofibers was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A compact morphology of composites was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A long charge diffusion length (62.42 μm) in the composites was derived from time constant in transient photovoltage and photocurrent analysis. These experimental results demonstrate that one-dimensional nanostructured SnO2/TiO2 composites have a great potential for application in solar cells.

Palladium nanoparticle-bacterial cellulose (PdBC) hybrid nanofibers were synthesized by in-situ chemical reduction method. The obtained PdBC nanofibers were characterized by a series of analytical techniques. The results revealed that Pd nanoparticles were evenly dispersed on the surfaces of BC nanofibers. Then, the as-prepared PdBC nanofibers were mixed with laccase (Lac) and Nafion to obtain mixture suspension, which was further modified on electrode surface to construct novel biosensing platform. Finally, the prepared electrochemical biosensor was employed to detect dopamine. The analysis result was satisfactory, the sensor showed excellent electrocatalysis towards dopamine with high sensitivity (38.4 µA·mM−1), low detection limit (1.26 µM), and wide linear range (5–167 µM). Moreover, the biosensor also showed good repeatability, reproducibility, selectivity and stability and was successfully used in the detection of dopamine in human urine, thus providing a promising method for dopamine analysis in clinical application.

Carbon xerogel-zinc oxide (CXZnO) composites were synthesized by a simple method of sol-gel condensation polymerization of formaldehyde and resorcinol solution containing zinc salt followed by drying and thermal treatment. ZnO nanoparticles were observed to be evenly dispersed on the surfaces of the carbon xerogel microspheres. The as-prepared CXZnO composites were mixed with laccase (Lac) and Nafion to obtain a mixture solution, which was further modified on an electrode surface to construct a novel biosensing platform. Finally, the prepared electrochemical biosensor was employed to detect the environmental pollutant, catechol. The analysis result was satisfactory, the sensor showed excellent electrocatalysis towards catechol with high sensitivity (31.2 µA·mM−1), a low detection limit (2.17 µM), and a wide linear range (6.91–453 µM). Moreover, the biosensor also displayed favorable repeatability, reproducibility, selectivity, and stability besides being successfully used in the trace detection of catechol existing in lake water environments.

Novel nanocomposites comprised of bacterial cellulose (BC) with carboxylic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNTs) incorporated into the BC matrix were prepared through a simple method of biosynthesis. The biocathode and bioanode for the enzyme biological fuel cell (EBFC) were prepared using BC/c-MWCNTs composite injected by laccase (Lac) and glucose oxidase (GOD) with the aid of glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinking. Biosynthesis of BC/c-MWCNTs composite was characterized by digital photos, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The experimental results indicated the successful incorporation of c-MWCNTs into the BC. The electrochemical and biofuel performance were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The power density and current density of EBFCs were recorded at 32.98 µW/cm3 and 0.29 mA/cm3, respectively. Additionally, the EBFCs also showed acceptable stability. Preliminary tests on double cells indicated that renewable BC have great potential in the application field of EBFCs.

A superfine Li0.33La0.557TiO3 (LLTO, 69.4 nm) was successfully synthesized by a facile solvent-thermal method to enhance the electrochemical properties of the lithium-ion battery separator. Co-axial nanofiber of cellulose and Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) was prepared by a co-axial electrospinning technique, in which the shell material was PVDF-HFP and the core was cellulose. LLTO superfine nanoparticles were incorporated into the shell of the PVDF-HFP. The core–shell composite nanofibrous membrane showed good wettability (16.5°, contact angle), high porosity (69.77%), and super electrolyte compatibility (497%, electrolyte uptake). It had a higher ionic conductivity (13.897 mS·cm−1) than those of pure polymer fibrous membrane and commercial separator. In addition, the rate capability (155.56 mAh·g−1) was also superior to the compared separator. These excellent performances endowed LLTO composite nanofibrous membrane as a promising separator for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalytic films were deposited on the surface of polyester nonwovens by using direct current reactive magnetron sputtering. The effects of coating thickness on the surface structures and properties of TiO2-coated fabrics were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscope (AFM), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The photocatalytic activity of the functional nonwoven fabrics was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue. The test results proved that the grain sizes of the sputtered clusters increased and the coating layer became more compact with the increase of film thickness, but the composition of the sputtered films did not have any significant change. At the same time, the photocatalytic activity of TiO2-coated fabrics mostly depended on the film thickness which could lead to the optimum thickness for a particular application.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofibers in the anatase structure were successfully prepared via electrospinning technique followed by calcination process. The morphologies, crystal structure, surface area, and the photocatalytic activity of resulting TiO2 nanofibers were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen sorption, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results revealed that calcination temperature had greatly influenced the morphologies of TiO2 nanofibers, but no obvious effect was noticed on the crystal structure of TiO2 nanofibers. The photocatalytic properties of TiO2 nanofibers were evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) in water under visible light irradiation. It was observed that TiO2 nanofibers obtained by calcination at 500°C for 3 hours exhibited the most excellent photocatalytic activity. We present a novel and simple method to fabricate TiO2 nanofibers with high-photocatalytic activity.

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/organic-modified montmorillonite (O-MMT) composite nanofibrous membranes were firstly prepared by electrospinning and then coated with titanium dioxide (TiO2) using spin coating technique. The structural morphology of the nanofibrous membranes with different mass ratio of O-MMT before and after spin coating was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The chemical property of adsorbed methylene blue (MB) was analyzed by infrared spectroscopy (IR). The adsorption and photodegradation capability of the TiO2-coated PAN/O-MMT composite nanofibrous membranes were evaluated by adsorption rate of MB and K/S values of the membranes before and after UV irradiation. The experimental results indicated that with the increase of O-MMT amount, the diameters of the nanofibers decreased and the adsorption rate of MB was evidently improved. Besides, with the increase of TiO2 film layers, the photocatalytic properties were enhanced while the adsorption process was slowed down.