Designing a novel method for metallization polyacrylonitrile nanofiber surface by noble metallic nanoparticles: A study of synergistic relation between structural features and the mechanical/wetting properties

Abstract

In this research, the surface of polyacrylonitrile NFs, PAN NFs, was metalized by three noble metal nanoparticles, NM NPs, (Pt, Au, and Ag NPs, as known metalized agents) via a safe experimental protocol. Crystalline measurements showed that all traits of ‘PAN(1 0 0)’ were changed after the metallization process. An interconnection between the metallic particles and PAN possessed not only a good role in increasing the stability of the PAN chain but also in the dispersion of those over its surface, confirmed by FTIR, EDX data, and TEM images. The mechanical properties and wettability surface were tested, and results show that the nature of metalized agent clearly influences it. Owing to findings, all related values for two tests of PAN NFs increased after loading Ag NPs on its surface, but not by Pt NPs, due to the good synergistic correlation between structural features of Ag@ PAN NFs. The main focus of this paper is to study the synergistic relationship between the physical properties, according to the surficial changes of PAN NFs after metallization, and the alteration of mechanical and wetting behaviors.

Keywords

• mechanical properties
• metalized polyacrylonitrile fibers
• surface metallization
• synergism effect
• surface wetting