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Fabrication and Performance of Multi-wall Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Polyimide Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes

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Abstract

Polyimide (PI) nanofiber membranes (NFMs) via electrospinning demonstrate widespread applications with an intrinsic drawback of lower mechanical performance, which could be improved with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). PI NFMs was fabricated via a simple thermal induced imidization of polyamic acid (PAA) NFMs and MWCNTs/PI composite NFMs were also investigated on the effect of MWCNTs on morphology, mechanical performance, and its possible carbonization. Such simply thermal induced imidization of PAA demonstrates successfully to be PI, and small amounts of MWCNTs could reduce the diameter and distribution of MWCNTs/PI nanofibers, and coarse and granular-like surface appeared on MWCNTs/PI composite nanofibers as the MWCNTs was increased up to 1.0 wt.%. Notably, addition of MWCNTs improved thermal stability and mechanical performance of MWCNTs/PI composite NFMs, but it lowered the mechanical performance of such composite NFMs at higher carbonization temperatures, which makes its carbonized NFMs even more inclined to be fragile and fracture.

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Data Availability

The authors declare that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper. Should any raw data files be needed in another format they are available from the corresponding author [T. Yan] upon reasonable request.

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Funding

China Scholarship Council, 202008350058, Taohai Yan, Fujian Science and Technology Project Guidance Project, 2022H0049, Taohai Yan, Fuzhou Science and Technology Major Project, 2021-Z-3, Taohai Yan, The 2020 Shanghai Higher Education Teacher Training Plan of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission Teacher Professional Development Project.

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  1. School of Materials, Shanghai Dianji University, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Shenbing Cao

  2. Fujian Key Laboratory of Novel Functional Fibers and Materials, Minjiang University, Fujian, 350108, China

    Taohai Yan

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  1. Shenbing Cao
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Cao, S., Yan, T. Fabrication and Performance of Multi-wall Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Polyimide Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes. Fibers Polym 24, 3787–3798 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12221-023-00337-y

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