Using in situ polymerization to increase puncture resistance and induce reversible formability in silk membranes

Silk fibroin is an excellent biopolymer for application in a variety of areas, such as textiles, medicine, composites and as a novel material for additive manufacturing. In this work, silk membranes were surface modified by in situ polymerization of aqueous acrylic acid, initiated by the reduction of various aryldiazonium salts with vitamin C. Treatment times of 20 min gave membranes which possessed increased tensile strength, tensile modulus, and showed significant increased resistance to needle puncture (+131%), relative to \u27untreated\u27 standards. Most interestingly, the treated silk membranes were able to be reversibly formed into various shapes via the hydration and plasticizing of the surface bound poly(acrylic acid), by simply steaming the modified membranes. These membranes and their unique properties have potential applications in advanced textiles, and as medical materials

Improving the effects of plasma polymerization on carbon fiber using a surface modification pretreatment

Plasma and electrochemical treatments of carbon fibers for enhanced properties are often presented in opposition to each other. This work demonstrates the combination of these methodologies through the electrochemical attachment of nitroaryl moieties to the surface of the carbon fiber, prior to the deposition of plasma polymerized acrylic acid to the surface. Notably, the tensile strength of fibers having undergone both surface modification and plasma polymerization showed a significant increase (3.76 ± 0.08 GPa), relative to control fibers (3.31 ± 0.11 GPa), while plasma polymerization alone showed no change (3.39 ± 0.09 GPa). Additional benefits resulting from both treatments were observed when determining the fiber-to-matrix adhesion. Plasma polymerization of acrylic acid alone returned a 49% increase in interfacial shear strength (IFSS) compared to control (28.3 ± 1.2 MPa vs 18.9 ± 1.2 MPa, respectively). While the presence of nitrophenyl groups on the fiber prior to polymerization conferred an additional 24% improvement over plasma polymerization alone and a 73% improvement relative to control fibers (32.7 ± 0.5 MPa vs 18.9 ± 1.2 MPa, respectively). Finally, we present the first comparison of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and helium ion microscopy (HIM) to visualize polymers on the carbon fiber surface. HIM shows a clear advantage over conventional SEM in visualizing non-conductive coatings on carbon fibers. Analysis of the samples by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the desired chemistry had been imparted onto the surface, consistent with the plasma-polymerized acrylic acid coating and presence of nitro-aryl moieties

Fiber with Butterfly Wings: Creating Colored Carbon Fibers with Increased Strength, Adhesion, and Reversible Malleability

International audienceColored and color-changing materials are central to perception and interaction in nature and have been exploited in an array of modern technologies such as sensors, visual displays and smart materials. Attempts to introduce color into carbon fiber materials have been limited by deleterious impacts on fiber properties, and the extension of colored fibers towards 'smart composites' remains in its infancy. We present carbon fibers incorporating structural color, similar to that observed on the surface of soap bubbles and various insects and birds, by modifying the fiber surface through in situ polymerization grafting. When dry, the treated fibers exhibit a striking blue color, but when exposed to a volatile solvent, a cascade of colors across the visible region is observed as the film first swells and then shrinks as the solvent evaporates. The treated fibers not only possess a unique color and color-changing ability, but can also be reversibly formed into complex shapes and bear significant loads even without being encased in a supporting polymer. The tensile strength of treated fibers shows a statistically significant increase (+12%) and evaluation of the fiber-to-matrix adhesion of these polymers to an epoxy resin shows more than 300% improvement over control fibers. This approach creates a new platform for the multifaceted advance of smart composites