Electrospun nanofibers are made when electrostatic forces overcome the surface tension of a polymer solution, causing an electrically charged jet to be ejected; as the jet travels through the air, the solvent evaporates, leaving behind an electrically charged fiber, which can be collected in the form of a nonwoven sheet. A superabsorbent was added to a polymer solution containing an elastomer (concentrations = 0-85%). The mixture was electrospun, producing nanofibers in which the superabsorbent particles were held in place with nanoscale elastic fibers. The nanofibers were tested for absorbency in water and synthetic urine. Fluid absorption by the nanofibers led to the formation of structured hydrogels. Increases in the weight gain from water absorption ranged from 400 to 5000%. The linear dimensions of samples cut from the nonwoven sheet were measured; wetting the superabsorbent increased the thickness dimension of the sheet dramatically and produced a smaller change in the plane of the sheet. The rate of water absorption was calculated; the samples containing 0-70% superabsorbent reached essentially their maximum absorbency within 5 s. The excellent strength and elasticity of the wet samples make these structured hydrogels ideal for many uses, including wound care, drug delivery, and sanitary goods. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tetraisopropyl titanate (TPT) was mixed with a solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and the solution electrospun into nanofibres. Thermal annealing at 900 degreesC was used to pyrolyse the PVP, leaving nanofibres of rutile-phase titania. Erbium (III) oxide particles were also added into the solution before electro-spinning, and selectively modified the near-infrared optical properties of the titania nanofibres as verified by both absorption and emission spectra. We thereby demonstrate the production of high-temperature optically functionalized nanostructures that can be used in a thermophotovoltaic energy conversion system.

Titania nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning and characterized with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The nanofibers were annealed to 773K to achieve the anatase titania crystal structure, and to 1173K to obtain the rutile phase. In order to create erbia-containing titania nanofibers, erbium (III) oxide particles were added to the pre-cursor solution before electrospinning. After pyrolysis the titania nanofibers supported and encapsulated the erbia particles. Temperature-dependent near-infrared emission spectra demonstrate that the erbia-containing nanofibers emit selectively in the range 6000–7000cm−1. Because of their large surface to volume ratios and narrow-band optical emission, these nanofibers can be used as selective emitters for thermophotovoltaic applications.

We demonstrate the production of nonwoven mats of high-temperature organic and inorganic fibers by electrospinning. Specifically, glass/ceramic (tetraethylorthosilicate–SiO) and fire-blanket (polydiphenoxyphosphazene–PDPP) precursors are electrospun, and the resulting fibers are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. We find that the SiO fibers are smaller in diameter and more uniform than the PDPP fibers, and stable to higher temperatures. We also coat these fiber systems with several rare-earth nitrates, and find that these coatings can be used to selectively modify the near-IR spectra of the fibers. This work extends the use of electrospinning into two new classes of materials, and demonstrates that we can subsequently modify the optical properties of the electrospun fibers.