Materials design towards sport textiles with low-friction and moisture-wicking dual functions

In the field of sportswear, the structure and morphology of textiles are of great importance to achieve good moisture transport and low friction, which are two critical comfort-related properties. To improve these properties, dual-layer nanofibrous nonwoven mats were studied in this work. Core–shell nanofibers with a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-rich core and a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-rich shell were fabricated by single-spinneret electrospinning and used as the inner layer of the dual-layer mats, while thick base-treated Cellulose Acetate (CA) nanofibrous mats were used as the outer layer. The core-located PAN and a small amount of PAN on the PAN/PVDF nanofiber surface ensure good moisture transport through the nanofibrous mats. The synergistic combination of a considerably hydrophobic PAN/PVDF inner layer and a highly hydrophilic CA outer layer induces a strong push–pull effect, resulting in efficient moisture transport from the inner to the outer layer. Furthermore, the fluorine-rich PVDF shell of the inner layer touches the human skin and provides a lubricating effect to enhance comfortability. This design provides a promising route for sports textiles with both good moisture-wicking and low friction

Tailoring surface hydrophilicity of porous electrospun nanofibers to enhance capillary and push-pull effects for moisture wicking

In this article, liquid moisture transport behaviors of dual-layer electrospun nanofibrous mats are reported for the first time. The dual-layer mats consist of a thick layer of hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers with a thin layer of hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) nanofibers with and without interpenetrating nanopores, respectively. The mats are coated with polydopamine (PDOPA) to different extents to tailor the water wettability of the PS layer. It is found that with a large quantity of nanochannels, the porous PS nanofibers exhibit a stronger capillary effect than the solid PS nanofibers. The capillary motion in the porous PS nanofibers can be further enhanced by slight surface modification with PDOPA while retaining the large hydrophobicity difference between the two layers, inducing a strong push–pull effect to transport water from the PS to the PAN layer

MoS₂ Nanosheets Hosted in Polydopamine-Derived Mesoporous Carbon Nanofibers as Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes: Enhanced MoS₂ Capacity Utilization and Underlying Mechanism

In this work, solid, hollow, and porous carbon nanofibers (SNFs, HNFs, and PNFs) were used as hosts to grow MoS₂ nanosheets hydrothermally. The results show that the nanosheets on the surface of SNFs and HNFs are comprised of a few grains stacked together, giving direct carbon–MoS₂ contact for the first grain and indirect contact for the rest. In contrast, the nanosheets inside of PNFs are of single-grain size and are distributed evenly in the mesopores of PNFs, providing efficient MoS₂–carbon contact. Furthermore, the nanosheets grown on the polydopamine-derived carbon surface of HNFs and PNFs have larger interlayer spacing than those grown on polyacrylonitrile-derived carbon surface. As a result, the MoS₂ nanosheets in PNFs possess the lowest charge-transfer resistance, the most accessible active sites for lithiation/delithiation, and can effectively buffer the volume variation of MoS₂, leading to its best electrochemical performance as a lithium-ion battery anode among the three. The normalized reversible capacity of the MoS₂ nanosheets in PNFs is about 1210 mAh g^–1 at 100 mA g^–1, showing the effective utilization of the electrochemical activity of MoS₂

Effects of rotenone on alpha-synuclein inclusion formation in the SN_pc.

<p>Immunostaining against TH (red) and Thioflavine T (green) were evaluated by fluorescence Microscope. Alpha-synuclein inclusions (Thioflavine T positive) were observed in the TH⁺ neurons of the SN_pc in mice with rotenone administration for 3 months. No alpha-synuclein aggregations were detected in mice with rotenone administration for 1 month. (Magnification: 400x).</p

Effects of rotenone for 1 month administration on escape latency at the training session.

<p>Although there was a tendency of the latency to escape to be delayed in mice with rotenone administration for 1 month, no significant difference was observed compared with the vehicle. n = 13.</p

Effects of rotenone for 1 month administration on the parameters of the probe session.

<p>On the 5th day no changes were detected in any of the parameters: average speed (A), time to destination (B), average proximity (C), platform crossings (D), relative time in the training and opposite quadrant (E). Nevertheless, average aroximity (C) elevated and relative time spent in the training quadrant (E) decreased on the 7th day. *<i>P</i><0.05, compared with the vehicle; n = 13.</p

Effects of rotenone on motor coordination ability by rotarod test.

<p>Motor coordination ability was assessed by the rotarod test. The residence time of mouse on rotarod treadmills was shorter in mice with rotenone administration for 3 months. There were no variations observed in 1–month-rotenone-treated group compared with the vehicle group.* <i>P</i><0.05, compared with the vehicle; n≥9.</p

Effects of rotenone for 3 months administration on the parameters of the probe session.

<p>A: average speed. There were no variations either on the 5th or the 7th day. B: Time to destination reduced on the 7th day but not the 5th day. C: Average proximity ameliorated both on the 5th and the 7th day. D: Platform crossings improved on the 5th day. E: Quadrant time of training improved in the training whereas declined in the opposite. *<i>P</i><0.05, compared with the vehicle; n≥10.</p

Effects of rotenone for 3 months administration on neurogenesis in hippocampus.

<p>Double-immunostaining against PCNA (red) and DCX (green) were labeled for the marker of adult neurogenesis in hippocampus. The blue signal (Hoechst 33358) stained the nuclei. No significant difference was detected between the vehicle and rotenone treated groups. (Magnification: 100x).</p

Tailoring Surface Hydrophilicity of Porous Electrospun Nanofibers to Enhance Capillary and Push–Pull Effects for Moisture Wicking

In this article, liquid moisture transport behaviors of dual-layer electrospun nanofibrous mats are reported for the first time. The dual-layer mats consist of a thick layer of hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers with a thin layer of hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) nanofibers with and without interpenetrating nanopores, respectively. The mats are coated with polydopamine (PDOPA) to different extents to tailor the water wettability of the PS layer. It is found that with a large quantity of nanochannels, the porous PS nanofibers exhibit a stronger capillary effect than the solid PS nanofibers. The capillary motion in the porous PS nanofibers can be further enhanced by slight surface modification with PDOPA while retaining the large hydrophobicity difference between the two layers, inducing a strong push–pull effect to transport water from the PS to the PAN layer