Recent progress in interfacial toughening and damage self‐healing of polymer composites based on electrospun and solution‐blown nanofibers: An overview

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2013 papers

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, we provide an overview of recent progress in toughening and damage self‐healing of polymer–matrix composites (PMCs) reinforced with electrospun or solution‐blown nanofibers at interfaces with an emphasis on the innovative processing techniques and toughening and damage self‐healing characterization. Because of their in‐plane fiber architecture and layered structure, high‐performance laminated PMCs typically carry low interfacial strengths and interlaminar fracture toughnesses in contrast to their very high in‐plane mechanical properties. Delamination is commonly observed in these composite structures. Continuous polymer and polymer‐derived carbon nanofibers produced by electrospinning, solution blowing, and other recently developed techniques can be incorporated into the ultrathin resin‐rich interlayers (with thicknesses of a few to dozens of micrometers) of these high‐performance PMCs to form nanofiber‐reinforced interlayers with enhanced interlaminar fracture toughnesses. When incorporated with core–shell healing‐agent‐loaded nanofibers, these nanofiber‐richened interlayers can yield unique interfacial damage self‐healing. Recent experimental investigations in these topics are reviewed and compared, and recently developed techniques for the scalable, continuous fabrication of advanced nanofibers for interfacial toughening and damage self‐healing of PMCs are discussed. Developments in the near future in this field are foreseen. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2225–2237, 2013

Related Papers

• → Structural Control of Nanofibers According to Electrospinning Process Conditions and Their Applications(2023)33 cited
• → Nanofibers: principles and manufacture(2012)26 cited
• → Controlling the architecture of nanofiber‐coated microfibers using electrospinning(2010)9 cited
• Recent developments in electrospinning of nanofibers and nanofiber yarns(2010)
• Preparation and application of PANI / PEO nanofiber sensor based on electrospinning(2015)