Composite nanofiber materials and methods for making same

A composite material comprising:

• a plurality of electrospun fibers combined with a plurality of coarse fibers to form a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of electrospun fibers and the plurality of coarse fibers are distributed non-uniformly within one or more of the plurality of layers to form one or more planar gradients, the distribution of coarse fibers and electrospun fibers being consistent in the z-direction of each layer.

A composite material comprising:

• a plurality of solution-based electrospun fibers made from one or more polymers and combined with a plurality of coarse fibers to form one or more layers, wherein the plurality of electrospun fibers have an electrospun fiber average diameter and the plurality of coarse fibers have a coarse fiber average diameter, wherein a ratio of the coarse fiber average diameter to the electrospun fiber average diameter is about 5 or more, wherein the electrospun fibers and the coarse fibers are distributed non-uniformly within one or more of the layers to form one or more planar gradients, the distribution of coarse fibers and electrospun fibers being consistent through the z-direction of each layer.

A composite material comprising:

• a plurality of continuous electrospun fibers made from one or more polymers and combined with a plurality of coarse fibers to form one or more layers, wherein the plurality of electrospun fibers have an electrospun fiber average diameter and the plurality of coarse fibers have a coarse fiber average diameter, wherein a ratio of the coarse fiber average diameter to the electrospun fiber average diameter is about 5 or more, and wherein electrospun fibers and the coarse fibers are distributed non-uniformly within the one or more layers to form one or more planar gradients, the distribution of coarse fibers and electrospun fibers being consistent through the z-direction of such layer.