Fast response nanofiber articles with tunable wettability and bulk properties

Abstract

A fibrous properties-switching article comprises a mat consisting of fibers having a fiber diameter of 2 microns or less. The fibers comprise a polymer, copolymer, polymer blend, or polymer network, wherein the fibers have a diameter of 2 gm or less. The surface and/or bulk property of the mat changes over a range of temperatures, wherein the polymer, copolymer, polymer blend, or polymer network undergoes a structural change over the range of temperatures. The fiber mat is formed by electrospinning. In an exemplary embodiment, a blend of polystyrene and poly((N-isopropyl acrylamide) (b1-PS/PNIPA) in dimethylformamide (DMF) is electrospun to form a mat consisting of fibers with a diameter less than 2 μm that shows a transition from a superhydrophilic surface to a nearly superhydrophobic surface over a temperature range from 30° C. to 45° C. A fiber mat formed by electrospinning a DMF solution comprising poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-methacylicacid) (PNIPAMAA), comprises fibers having a diameter less than 2 μm and are cross linked after spinning. The crosslinked PNIPAMAA, (x1-PNIPAMAA) fiber mat displays a transition from a hydrophilic surface to a nearly hydrophobic surface over a temperature range from 30° C. to 45° C.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.