Electrospun Polyaniline-Based Composite Nanofibers: Tuning the Electrical Conductivity by Tailoring the Structure of Thiol-Protected Metal Nanoparticles

Composite nanofibers made of a polyaniline-based polymer blend and different thiol-capped metal nanoparticles were prepared using ex situ synthesis and electrospinning technique. The effects of the nanoparticle composition and chemical structure on the electrical properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. This study confirmed that Brust's procedure is an effective method for the synthesis of sub-10 nm silver, gold, and silver-gold alloy nanoparticles protected with different types of thiols. Electron microscopy results demonstrated that electrospinning is a valuable technique for the production of composite nanofibers with similar morphology and revealed that nanofillers are well-dispersed into the polymer matrix. X-ray diffraction tests proved the lack of a significant influence of the nanoparticle chemical structure on the polyaniline chain arrangement. However, the introduction of conductive nanofillers in the polymer matrix influences the charge transport noticeably improving electrical conductivity. The enhancement of electrical properties is mediated by the nanoparticle capping layer structure. The metal nanoparticle core composition is a key parameter, which exerted a significant influence on the conductivity of the nanocomposites. These results prove that the proposed method can be used to tune the electrical properties of nanocomposites

Matlab scripts for diffusion analysis

<p>The Matlab code for the calculation of diffusion coefficients, generation of figures and image processing of ruptured filaments due to thresholding.</p> <p> </p> <p>_exe ended files are executive files, other are functions</p> <p>CentrOrientGabson generates position table and angle table of the fibers</p> <p>figureANGLE and figureMSD generates tif images</p> <p>Gapson connects gaps in a fiber when threshold functon cuts fiber into pieces</p> <p>MSDandDiff calculates Mean Squared Displacement and diffusion coefficients</p> <p> </p> <p>For more information please visit: http://fluid.ippt.pan.pl/nanofibres/ and Hydrogel nanofilaments via core-shell electrospinning by Pawel Nakielski</p

Evaluation of focal depth

Evaluation of focal depth using 1 μm fluorescent particles suspended in the experimental<br>channel under the microscope, obtained from 400 number of steps. Estimated focal depth about<br>10 μm. <br

S5 Appendix

1. Selected symbols characterizing experiment and materials<br> 2. Non-dimensional parameters characterizing filaments and flow<br> <br

AFM images of hydrogel nanofilaments

<p>Figures presenting AFM topography of the hydrogel nanofilaments for three different compositions.</p> <p>EA1 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 37.5:1 AAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EA2 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 20:1 AAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EA3 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 4:1 AAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p> </p> <p>EN1 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 37.5:1 NIPAAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EN2 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 20:1 NIPAAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EN3 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 4:1 NIPAAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p> </p> <p>For more information please visit: http://fluid.ippt.pan.pl/nanofibres/ and Hydrogel nanofilaments via core-shell electrospinning by Pawel Nakielski</p

S3 Microchannel preparation

The file include all steps necessary to prepare microchannel.<br><br

Thermal fluctuations and calculation of persistance length - part 1

<p>Data presents thermal fluctuations of nanofilaments for different composition:</p> <p>EA1 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 37.5:1 AAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EA2 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 20:1 AAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EA3 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 4:1 AAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EN1 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 37.5:1 NIPAAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EN2 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 20:1 NIPAAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>EN3 - polyacrylamide hydrogel monomer mass ratio 4:1 NIPAAm:BIS-AAm</p> <p>For more information please visit: http://fluid.ippt.pan.pl/nanofibres/ and Hydrogel nanofilaments via core-shell electrospinning by Pawel Nakielski</p> <p> </p

S1 Filament knots formation

Video presenting long filament and knots formation during Brownian motion.<br

S6 Initial distribution of nanofilaments

Observed distribution of investigated nanofilaments across the whole plane of observation was rather uniform, except wall region. Statistics obtained from the first images of 35<br>experimental sequences. <br

Hydrodynamic interactions

<p>Data presents hydrodynamic of the nanofilaments with flow. Data presented for only one composition (EN1).</p> <p> </p> <p>For more information please visit: http://fluid.ippt.pan.pl/nanofibres/ and Hydrogel nanofilaments via core-shell electrospinning by Pawel Nakielski</p