Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Electrospun Graphene/Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Composite Microfibrous Yarns via Post-Processing

Abstract:

The graphene/Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) composites have drawn increased attention due to their significant improvements in mechanical and physical properties. A post treatment, enhancing the mechanical properties of the electrospun graphene/PAN fibrous yarns, was investigated in this study. The yarns obtained by this post treatment showed increased average strength and decreased elongation, which demonstrated that the as-reported method was an effective way to prepare higher performance electrospun graphene/PAN yarns. The method has potential application in preparation of micro ropes and self-assembled 3D electrospun fibrous yarns. Moreover, it is an innovation to apply dyeing during the investigation of the electrospun fibers under tension condition to analyze the tensile mechanism of yarns. The annular cracks were observed, which was recognized as the immediate cause for the yarns lengthening. Furthermore, according to its growth and fracture, the tensile mechanism of electrospun fibrous yarns was revealed.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 941-944)
• Pages: 492-498
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.941-944.492
• Online since: June 2014
• Authors: Yun Yu Li*, Ling Jun Guo, Bin Wang, Qiang Song
• Keywords: Electrospun Yarn, Graphene\PAN Composite, Mechanical Performance, Post-Processing

References

[1] F.L. Zhou, R.H. Gong, Review manufacturing technologies of polymeric nanofibers and nanofiber yarns, Polym. Int. 57 (2008) 837-845.

DOI: 10.1002/pi.2395

[2] Y.Z. Long, M.M. Li, C.Z. Gu, M.X. Wan, J.L. Duvail, Z.W. Liu and Z.Y. Fan, Recent advances in synthesis physical properties and applications of conducting polymer nanotubes and nanofibers, Prog. Polym. Sci. 36 (2011) 1415-1442.

DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2011.04.001

[3] J.E. An, G. W. Jeon and Y. G. Jeong, Preparation and properties of polypropylene nanocomposites reinforced with exfoliated graphene, Fiber. Polym. 13 (2012) 507-514.

DOI: 10.1007/s12221-012-0507-z

[4] S. Lee, Y. J. Kim, D. H. Kim, B. C. Ku and H. I. Joh, Synthesis and properties of thermally reduced graphene oxide/polyacrylonitrile composites, J. Phys. Chem. Solids. 73 (2012) 741-743.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2012.01.015

[5] L. Yin, J. Wang, F. Lin, J. Yang and Y. Nuli, Polyacrylonitrile/graphene composite as a precursor to a sulfur-based cathode material for high-rate rechargeable Li-S batteries, Energy Environ. Sci. 5 (2012) 6966-6972.

DOI: 10.1039/c2ee03495f

[6] B. Sun, Y.Z. Long, H.D. Zhang, M.M. Li, J.L. Duvail, X.Y. Jiang and H.L. Yin, Advances in three-dimensional nanofibrous macrostructures via electrospinning, Prog. Polym. Sci. (2013) in press.

DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2013.06.002

[7] M. B. Bazbous, G. K. Stylios, Novel mechanism for spinning continuous twisted composite nanofiber yarns, Eur. Polym. J. 44 (2008) 1-12.

DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2007.10.006

[8] W.E. Teo, R. Gopal, R. Ramaseshan, K. Fujihara and S. Ramakrishna, A dynamic liquid support system for continuous electrospun yarn fabrication, Polymer 48 (2007) 3400-3405.

DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2007.04.044

[9] S.F. Fennessey, R.J. Farris, Fabrication of aligned and molecularly electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers and the mechanical behavior of their twisted yarns, Polymer, 45 (2004) 4217-4225.

DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2004.04.001

[10] C.K. Liu, R.J. Sun, K. Lai, C.Q. Sun and Y.W. Wang, Preparation of short submicron-fiber yarn by an annular collector through electrospinning, Mater. Lett. 62 (2008) 4467-4469.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2008.07.058

[11] S.C. Moon, R.J. Farris, Strong electrospun nanometer-diameter polyacrylonitrile carbon fiber yarns, Carbon, 47 (2009) 2829-2839.

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2009.06.027

[12] X. Wang, K. Zhang, M. Zhu, B. S. Hsiao and B. Chu, Enhanced mechanical performance of self-bundled electrospun fiber yarns via post-treatments, Macromol. Rapid Commun. 29 (2008) 826-832.

DOI: 10.1002/marc.200700873

[13] D. Paneva, N. Manolova, I. Rashkov, H. Penchev, M. Mimhai and E. S. Dragan, self-organization of fibers into yarns during electrospinning of polycation/polyanion polyelectrolyte pairs, Dig. J. Nanomater. Bios. 5 (2010) 811-819.

[14] F. T. Peirce, The weakest link. Theorems on the strength of long and of composite specimens, J. Textile Inst. 17 (1926) T355/T368.

DOI: 10.1080/19447027.1926.10599953