pISSN : 1229-9197 / eISSN : 1875-0052
Fibers and Polymers, the journal of the Korean Fiber Society, provides you with state-of-the-art
research in fibers and polymer science and technology related to developments in the textile
industry. Bridging the gap between fiber science and polymer science, the journal’s topics
include fiber structure and property, dyeing and finishing, textile processing, and apparel science.
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Latest Publication (Vol. 26, No. 6, Jun. 2025)
Polyelectrolyte Complex Coacervates: Structural Insights, Rheological Perspectives, and Industrial Applications
Gwangmin Jo Byungwook Youn Doojin Lee Yeongun Ko
Coacervation is a liquid–liquid phase separation process in polyelectrolyte solutions induced by environmental factors such as pH, ionic strength, temperature, and solubility. This process results in the formation of a colloid-rich phase known as a coacervate. Their formation is governed by an equilibrium among van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic interactions, and other weak forces. Rheological analysis provides insights into the balance of these interactions. The properties of coacervates can be controlled by adjusting parameters such as pH, polymer ratio, ionic strength, and the molecular characteristics of polyelectrolytes. Based on formation mechanism and rheological analysis, coacervates have significant potential for various applications, including melt extrusion products, electrospinning, underwater adhesives, and saloplastic materials. This review provides a comprehensive overview of coacervates, including their definition, internal structure, theoretical models, coacervation mechanisms, controlling factors, applications, and rheological behavior.
A Dual-Functional Nano-Based Platform: Dialdehyde-β-Cyclodextrin-Modified Cellulose Nanowhiskers for Enhanced Curcumin Delivery and Efficient Dye Removal
Respina Arefizadeh Abbas Dadkhah Tehrani
In the current study, dialdehyde-β-cyclodextrin (DA-β-CD) grafted cellulose nanowhisker (β-CD-CNW) was developed as a new platform for JGB (Janus Green B) dye removal as well as Curcumin (CUR) delivery. While CNWs and their derivatives typically adsorb cationic/anionic dyes through electrostatic interactions, β-CD-CNW enables unique host–guest complexation that facilitates: (1) dye adsorption regardless of molecular charge (58 mg/g capacity for JGB), (2) effective encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs (85% CUR release over 72h), and (3) potential selective adsorption based on molecular size/shape. DA-β-CD, unlike, β-CD could decorated at the surface of aminated CNW through a very simple and straightforward reaction. The results showed that despite its partial ring opening during preparation using periodate oxidation, DA-β-CD still maintains its ability to form an inclusion complex. The ability of DA-β-CD to form an inclusion complex was assessed simply by color change of phenolphthalein (Php) during complexation by the naked eye. Evaluation of modified CNW demonstrated successful CUR encapsulation and controlled release profiles for curcumin as a hydrophobic drug. Furthermore, it showed suitable antioxidant activity (70%). In addition, it exhibited enhanced dye removal efficacy with about 58mg/g sorption capacity and the kinetics study showed that the adsorption rate of JGB dye aligns with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. This research highlights the dual functionality of DA-β-CD decorated cellulose nanowhiskers in drug delivery and dye removal, indicating modified CNW may be considered for sustainable applications in pharmaceuticals and environmental science.
Optimizing Carbon-to-Sulfur Ratio in Polybenzoxazole-derived N-doped Carbon/Sulfur Cathodes for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
Byoung-Min Lee Youngsang Chun Hyeong Yeol Choi Chan Sol Kang Doo Hyun Baik
Lithium-sulfur batteries are promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems due to their high theoretical energy density and cost-effectiveness. However, challenges such as poor sulfur conductivity, polysulfide shuttling, and capacity degradation remain significant barriers to commercialization. This study investigates the role of carbon-to-sulfur ratios in optimizing the electrochemical performance of nitrogen-doped carbon cathodes. By characterizing the physical and chemical properties of polybenzoxazole-derived carbon structures and their sulfur mixture, we identify the optimal carbon-to-sulfur ratio that balances electronic conductivity, sulfur utilization, and polysulfide suppression. Electrochemical analyses, including cyclic voltammetry, charge–discharge behavior, and impedance spectroscopy, reveal that a carbon-to-sulfur ratio of 10:1 achieves superior performance, with improved charge transfer, enhanced sulfur conversion efficiency, and minimized polysulfide shuttle effects. These findings provide valuable insights into material design strategies for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries.
Effect of Ultraviolet Aging on the Structure and Wear Resistance of Ultra-high-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Ropes
Jingwen Bao Sarkodie Ebenezer Ameyaw Yantao Gao Zan Lu Wenfeng Hu
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber ropes are widely used in towing, transportation, and outdoor rescue operation due to their exceptional strength and durability. However, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light accelerates aging, significantly affecting their fiber structure and mechanical properties. To investigate the aging behavior of UHMWPE fiber ropes under ultraviolet light, their chemical composition, morphology, and strength of UHMWPE fiber ropes under ultraviolet light were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), tensile test, and wear resistance experiments. The results indicate that ultraviolet light can break the main chain of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene and induce the molecular degradation of polyethylene. Initially, the fiber surface is smooth, but progressive UV exposure causes the formation of cracks. Their mechanical properties deteriorate significantly, with tensile strength decreasing significantly from the original 1066 N to 265 N after six cycles of ultraviolet irradiation, representing a 75% strength loss. In addition, the wear resistance of UHMWPE ropes decreases with prolonged UV exposure. Ultraviolet radiation breaks the internal C–C bond, reducing the melting peak of folded chain crystallization. At elevated temperatures, irradiation facilitates the penetration of oxygen molecules and other gases through microcracks, leading to the formation of C=O bonds and initiating oxidation reactions. Ultimately, this results in the degradation of UHMWPE and a decrease in its mechanical properties.
Melt Electrowriting of High-Quality Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Scaffolds Through Optimized Charge-Neutralization Strategy
Lixin Yang Guoping Zhang Yi Lou Zhihua Jiang Lei Du
Melt electrowriting (MEW) is an advanced additive manufacturing technique that tames charged molten jets to fabricate well-organized scaffolds with microscale resolution. Beyond poly(ε-caprolactone), the current gold-standard polymer for MEW, other polymers, such as poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), have also been printed using this technique to better leverage its piezoelectric properties. However, fabricating PVDF scaffolds with both high-precision and high-layers remains challenging. In this study, appropriate printing parameters and processing windows are identified to ensure jet stability, enabling the fabrication of high-layer and complex nonlinear scaffolds. In addition, while charge neutralization is shown to enhance fiber overlay precision, it is found to reduce fiber–fiber adhesion and layer bonding, leading to delamination fractures and a decline in mechanical properties. By increasing the ionized air temperature during charge neutralization, we achieved a refined balance between printing precision and mechanical property, facilitating the fabrication of high-quality PVDF scaffolds. This is a fundamental study that clarifies the methods and provides a demonstration, encouraging researchers to explore alternatives beyond PCL.
Physical Analysis of White and Brick Red Eri Silk Fiber
Bidhu Bhushan Brahma Pranjal Kalita Manasi Buzar Baruah
Despite growing interest in Eri silk, limited research compares the properties of white and brick red varieties, particularly their optical, mechanical, and crystallinity behaviour. This study investigates the structural, optical, thermal, and surface properties of both varieties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis analysis (UV–vis), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Eri silk fibers were evaluated for weight loss percentage, functional groups, thermal stability, tensile strength, and amino acid composition. Both experienced around 10% weight loss after degumming. UV–vis analysis revealed an increase in optical band gap and decrease in Urbach energy after degumming, indicating improved structural order. XRD analysis showed crystallinity of 55% for degummed white and 50% for brick red Eri silk fiber. TGA demonstrated that undegummed white Eri silk exhibited 10% less mass loss than brick red, indicating higher thermal stability. SEM analysis showed white fibers with an average diameter of 19.34 µm, compared to 16.32 µm for brick red. White Eri silk fiber also demonstrated superior stretchability and flexibility in tensile strength tests. Amino acid profiling indicated a higher alanine content in white fiber. These findings enhance the understanding of physical properties of Eri silk’s varieties for potential applications in textiles and biomaterials.
Comparative Studies on Curcumin and 5-FU Incorporated Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Cancer Treatment
Elakkiya Thangaraju M. D. Bala Kumaran K. SenthilKannan
The present study investigates the two types of anticancer drugs, one from natural compound and other from synthetic one which is commercially available. Curcumin, a natural compound which is derived from Curcuma Longa L, is also known as turmeric powder with high anticancer properties and under clinical trial. 5-Fluorouracil is one of the well-established chemotherapeutic synthetic drugs for various types of cancer treatment, including breast, colon, stomach, etc. Electrospinning process is one of the best nanotechnology methods to produce interconnected porous structure and mimics the human extracellular matrix protein which is mainly helpful for drug delivery applications. Poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) ((pHEMA)) is one of the hydrogel polymers which is mainly used for drug delivery application due to its biocompatible nature. The natural drug curcumin (CU) and synthetic drug 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) were loaded into p(HEMA) and electrospun to produce CU encapsulated p(HEMA) and 5-FU encapsulated p(HEMA) nanofibrous scaffold. The CU and 5-FU encapsulated into p(HEMA) substrate was clearly observed in transmission electron microscopy. Naturally, the CU has high antioxidant activity compared to 5-FU which was confirmed by (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. The CU encapsulated p(HEMA) and 5-FU encapsulated p(HEMA) nanofibrous scaffold biocompatibility was checked by MTT assay using mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH 3T3) cell lines. The anticancer activity of both CU encapsulated p(HEMA) and 5-FU encapsulated p(HEMA) nanofibrous scaffold was investigated by MTT assay using human cancer (MCF 7) cell lines. Furthermore, the live–dead assay and DAPI staining supports the MTT assay results and validate apoptosis in MCF 7 cell lines. The in vitro CU encapsulated p(HEMA) and 5-FU encapsulated p(HEMA) nanofibrous scaffold were investigated and found that at the end of 8th day, 86% of CU was released, whereas 88% of 5-FU was released in just 3 days. Hence, these results illustrate that electrospun p(HEMA) nanofibrous scaffold serves as a promising substrate for both CU and 5-FU drugs, opening new avenues for targeted cancer treatment.
Tailored Electrospun PU/S-GO Membranes for Enhanced Mechanical and Hydrophobic Properties for Efficient Oil Removal
Riya Mariyam John Parvathy Pavithran Soney C. George Nikhi Maria Raju
Electrospun membrane separation technology is rapidly advancing in the treatment of oily wastewater, owing to its tunable properties and controlled fibrous structure. In this work, an electrospun polyurethane (PU) membrane is prepared by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) modified with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS), resulting in a novel membrane, PU/S-GO. This modification significantly enhances the membrane’s mechanical properties, increasing its strength from 3.19 MPa to 13.5 MPa, which can be attributed to the improved interfacial bonding of APTMS-functionalized GO. Additionally, the modification of GO increases the water contact angle of PU from 90° to 130°, enhancing its oleophilic characteristics. This paved the applicability of PU/S-GO to be used in the sorption studies and oil–water separation. The fabricated membrane showed a high oil uptake capacity of 10 g/g. A detailed kinetic study reveals that the oil sorption mechanism follows a pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that chemisorption controls the process. Furthermore, the PU/S-GO membrane exhibits excellent self-cleaning properties, durability, and recyclability. In continuous separation tests, it achieves 80% efficiency in removing oil–water emulsions with flux of ≈ 3000 L/m2 h and significant reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD), highlighting its promising potential for sustainable oil–water separation applications.
Bleaching of Blended Fabrics Containing Calcium Alginate Fibers Based on Alum/NaOH/H2O2
Hao Yuan Hongmei Zhao Changhai Xu Jinmei Du Yang Jiang Guowei Xiao Dagang Miao
Calcium alginate fiber represents a novel class of green and environmentally friendly biomass fibers with exceptional properties. It holds significant application potential in both the medical and healthcare sectors, as well as in the high-end textile fabric industry. However, its broader application in the textile and apparel fields is constrained by its limited resistance to salt and alkali, and its propensity to gel in bleaching environments. The bleaching pretreatment of calcium alginate fiber remains a challenging endeavor. In this study, we introduce a bleaching process that employs alum and sodium hydroxide as fiber protectants to enhance the alkali resistance and bleaching performance of calcium alginate fibers in an oxygen-rich bleaching environment. By utilizing alum as a fiber protector, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as an alkaline agent, and a 30% hydrogen peroxide solution (H2O2) as a bleaching agent, the calcium alginate fiber fabric undergoes bleaching and treatment. The interaction between alum and sodium hydroxide generates tetrahydroxy structures, which increase the cross-linking degree of the calcium alginate macromolecular chains. Simultaneously, Al3+ ions partially replace Ca2+ ions in the "egg box" structure of the alginate fibers, thereby improving the fibers' resistance to alkali and bleaching. This research presents an innovative bleaching process for calcium alginate fibers, offering a solution to the challenge of poor bleaching resistance and expanding the potential applications of these fibers.
Study on Antistatic Properties of Montmorillonite/TiO2 Preparation and Finishing of Polyester Fabric
Jiani Wu Junjie Tang Chengling Sui Zhengjiang Liu
Firstly, nano-TiO2/montmorillonite was prepared by sol–gel method using tetrabutyl titanate and montmorillonite as primary raw materials and then finished on polyester fabric by impregnation method to give it specific antistatic properties. The properties of this TiO2/montmorillonite/polyester composite were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the surface morphology of the fabric was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, and then the antistatic property, whiteness, permeability, and breaking strength of the finished polyester fabric were tested. The results show that the resistivity of the finished polyester fabric is less than 0.01 × 105 Ω, which is six orders of magnitude lower than that of the original fabric, and the electrostatic voltage is also greatly reduced, reaching 39 V, indicating that the polyester fabric finished by TiO2/montmorillonite has good antistatic properties, which may be the result of the synergistic action of montmorillonite and TiO2. In addition, the breaking strength, whiteness, and air permeability of the finished fabric only decreased slightly, which had little effect on the performance of the polyester fabric. This study shows that low-cost montmorillonite powder has excellent potential as a fabric finishing agent, and also provides new suggestions for fabric modification.