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This paper studies a double-layer nanofiber membrane prepared based on electrospinning technology to develop a waterproof, breathable material with unidirectional moisture transport properties. By combining hydrophilic TPU/TBAC tree-like nanofibers with hydrophobic pure TPU nanofibers to form an inner and outer double-layer structure, the "push-pull effect" is used to achieve the function of moisture transmission from the inside to the outside while external water cannot penetrate.
This study used a one-step electrospinning method and based on the "push-pull" effect, prepared a double-layer membrane consisting of a hydrophobic pure TPU nanofiber membrane and a hydrophilic TPU/TBAC tree-like nanofiber membrane as a waterproof and breathable material, which has unidirectional water transport performance and good shielding performance. A functional material that can discharge sweat and water vapor produced by the human body to the outside while preventing external moisture and harmful particles from entering the clothing and contacting the human body was studied.
One-step electrospinning method:
Electrospinning technology is a simple, low-cost and high-tech method that can directly and continuously prepare nanofibers. The high-performance multi-level structure nanofibers with high specific surface area and high porosity prepared by one-step electrospinning in this study have been widely used in information, energy, environment and other fields.
One-way water transport capability:
Using electrospinning technology, a double-layer membrane structure was prepared, in which the inner layer was hydrophobic pure TPU nanofibers and the outer layer was hydrophilic TPU/TBAC tree-like nanofibers. This structural design uses the "push-pull effect" to achieve unidirectional moisture transfer: moisture is transferred from the inner layer to the outer layer, but external moisture cannot enter the inner layer. In order to verify the unidirectional moisture transfer performance of the double-layer membrane, MMT experiments were carried out on the outer and inner sides of the membrane.
Design of double-layer membrane structure:
The double-layer membrane was prepared by electrospinning TPU-NMs on aluminum foil first and then directly electrospinning TPU/TBAC-TLNMs. TPU/TBAC-TLNMs formed an outer membrane close to the environment, and TPU-NMs formed an inner membrane close to the skin, and these membranes were tightly combined. TPU/TBAC-TLNMs has a special tree-like morphology that can bring good moisture conductivity to the double-layer membrane. Combined with the good hydrophobicity of TPU, a "push-pull effect" should be generated, allowing moisture to be more effectively conducted from the inner layer to the outer layer (one-way moisture transport).
Due to the characteristics of TPU, the TPU-NMs layer is hydrophobic. The introduction of TBAC brings a strong hydroxyl group, which can effectively improve the hydrophilicity. In addition, the formation of the tree structure has a capillary effect. The presence of the tree structure with a large surface area increases the surface energy, making it more hydrophilic. The TPU-NMs is combined with TPU/TBAC-TLNMs to prepare a double-layer membrane with medium tensile strength, which effectively solves the problem of insufficient strength of TPU/TBAC-TLNMs.
Functional material applications:
The study showed that the double-layer membrane not only provides good waterproof and breathable properties, but also has high comfort and anti-washing stability. The paper believes that the material has good application prospects in the field of waterproof and breathable clothing.
Development prospects:
The innovative structural design and material combination have achieved a waterproof and breathable material with good one-way moisture vapor transmission properties, providing new ideas for high-performance clothing materials.
Paper link: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2017/ra/c7ra04843b
