Novel layer-by-layer procedure for making nylon-6 nanofiber reinforced high strength, tough, and transparent thermoplastic polyurethane composites.

Shaohua Jiang, Gaigai Duan, Haoqing Hou, Andreas Greiner, Seema Agarwal

Index: ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 4(8) , 4366-72, (2012)

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Abstract

We highlight a novel composite fabrication method based on solution casting, electrospinning, and film stacking for preparing highly transparent nylon-6 nanofiber reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composite films. The procedure is simple and can be extended to the other thermoplastics. The morphology of fiber/matrix interface and the properties of composite films were also investigated. The method led to a significant reinforcement in mechanical properties of TPU like tensile strength, E modulus, strain, and toughness just using very small amounts of nylon fibers (about 0.4-1.7 wt %; 150-300 nm diameter). The enhanced mechanical properties were achieved without sacrificing optical properties like transparency of TPU.