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. 8, Aug. 2025)
From Nature to Energy: The Role of Silk in Enhancing Advanced Energy Storage Technologies
Hyemin Kim Juhee Yoon Hyo Won Kwak Hyoung-Joon Jin
Silk, particularly fibroin, has gained attention as a potential material for energy storage devices owing to its unique properties, such as excellent mechanical strength, high ionic conductivity, and the ability to be modified into various forms. The high tensile strength, elastic modulus, and strain percentage at break of fibroin make it an ideal candidate for use in energy storage systems. The polar functional groups of the material, including C=O and N–H in its β-sheet structures, provide high ionic conductivity, which is essential for improving the performance of supercapacitors, Li-ion batteries, Li-metal batteries, and Li–S batteries. The carbonization of fibroin further enhances its properties, allowing for the development of high-quality hard carbon that can improve the energy density and performance of secondary batteries. In addition, the hierarchical porous structure and nitrogen doping of fibroin-based carbon materials enable enhanced ion diffusion and electrochemical stability. Despite these advancements, further research is required to explore the full potential of silk for energy storage applications, such as its use as electrolytes, binders, and dry electrodes. Overall, fibroin and sericin offer significant promise for the development of sustainable, high-performance energy storage devices, contributing to the development of next-generation energy solutions.
Fabrication of Thermochromic and Thermal-Energy Storage Microcapsules with a Novel Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylamide) Shell and Their Applications to Cotton Using Pad-Dry-Cure and Exhaustion Method
Müyesser Selda Tözüm
This study focuses on the development of cotton fabrics that will be able to change color depending on the temperature variation and the thermo-regulation properties of the materials. A novel reversible thermochromic (RTC) microcapsule with poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylamide) (P(MMA-co-MA)) shell was produced by encapsulating leuco-dye based on thermochromic materials (LDBTM) through oil-in-water emulsion polymerization, which exhibited outstanding thermochromic coloration, excellent thermal energy storage/release capacity, and thermo-regulation performance. The thermochromic and thermal characteristics of the microcapsules were examined, and their characterization, including surface morphology, particle-size distribution, and chemical structure, was investigated. Microcapsules presented spherical shape with an average particle size of 19.17 µm. The results obtained from UV–visible absorption spectra and photographs of the microcapsules showed that the microcapsules changed colors from blue to colorless when heated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and T-history analysis results indicated that microcapsules had high thermal energy storage/release performance (219.5 J/g) and thermo-regulation properties. The microcapsules were incorporated into the cotton fabrics through pad-dry-cure and exhaustion methods. According to the photographic images and colorimetric measurement results, microcapsule-treated fabrics by both application process showed excellent thermochromic performance. However, the microcapsule-treated Fabric 2 via the exhaustion process exhibited better performance compared to Fabric 1, which was prepared using the pad-dry-cure process. Based on the air permeability test results, both microcapsule application process resulted in filling of the fabric pores, which significantly reduced the permeability values. In addition, it was observed that both application methods increased the bending resistance of fabrics while reducing their tear strength.
Effects of Different Structures of Waterborne Polymers on the Microstructure and Properties of Disperse Dye Ink
Chengyong Gao Xiao Li Tieling Xing Meiling Zhang Shuhua Wang Sheng Shi
Disperse dye ink is a composite system, and the microscopic interactions between ink components determine the macroscopic physical properties of the ink. In this work, the relaxation time distribution was measured via low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) to test and analyze the interactions between waterborne polymers and water in disperse dye inks. The relaxation characteristics of aqueous solutions containing different waterborne polymers (PVP, PEG, and PA) and the existence form, microdistribution state, and fluidity properties of water molecules in the solutions were studied, and the effects of different waterborne polymers on the properties of disperse dye ink (viscosity, rheological properties, fluidity, surface tension, weatherability, etc.) were analyzed. The results showed that the addition of a small amount of waterborne polymer to ink had a certain effect on the inkjet performance of the ink, greatly improving the printing effect. For example, the sharpness and color fastness (rubbing fastness and washing fastness) of printed polyester fabrics significantly improved. The reason is that the formation of a waterborne polymer film on the surface of the printed polyester fabric helps improve the rubbing fastness of the fabric and prevents the migration of disperse dye from inside the polyester fibers during water washing.
Fabrication and Pb2+ Adsorption Properties of Fibrous Cation-Exchange Materials from Waste Polystyrene
Choon-Ki Na Gayeon Park Hyunju Park
Polystyrene (PS) is widely used in small plastic products, contributing significantly to the amount of plastic waste generated worldwide. Thus, the development of simple and practical strategies to prepare high-value-added products from waste PS is of great importance. In this study, fibrous cation-exchange materials (PS-SO3H) were prepared by sulfonating waste PS and evaluated in terms of their heavy-metal-ion adsorption properties. The PS-SO3H fibers demonstrated excellent Pb2+ adsorption, with a maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of 240 mg/g at pH 4–5. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the successful introduction of sulfonic acid groups into the PS fibers and formation of a porous surface, which enhanced the availability of adsorption sites. Mixed-ion adsorption experiments (Cd2+, Cu2+, Zn2+) revealed the greatest affinity for Pb2+ owing to its large ionic radius and high charge density. Adsorption followed a second-order kinetic model, and the Langmuir isotherm yielded a qmax of 256.41 mg/g. Fixed-bed column experiments indicated that the height-to-diameter ratio significantly influenced adsorption. The Bohart–Adams and BDST models effectively predicted column performance. Desorption tests showed 1.0-N HNO3 achieved over 90% desorption efficiency. The results demonstrate the potential of PS-SO3H fibers as efficient adsorbents for Pb2+ removal, indicating applications in wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.
Biopolymers Blend for Microwave-Synthesized Carbon Dots and Iodine Entrapping for Potential Biomedical Bandages
Alaa M. Alqahtani Haifa Alharbi Sara A. Alqarni Gadeer R. S. Ashour Abeer A. Ageeli Hayfa H. Almutairi Khadra B. Alomari Nashwa M. El-Metwaly
Polymer science and nanotechnology play a vital role in recent years especially in the health and medical fields. The current approach represents a recent investigation for exploiting biopolymers blend of carboxymethyl starch and carboxymethyl chitosan for successive clustering of nitrogen-decorated carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) with sequential entrapping of iodine (I2@N-CQDs). A comparable overview is studied between the ingrowth of N-CQDs under the effect of sodium hydroxide (I2@N-CQDs-S) versus formic acid (I2@N-CQDs-F). The obtained I2@N-CQDs were loaded within gauze matrix to prepare I2@N-CQDs@Gauze with anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. The data reveal that nucleation of N-CQDs under basic conditions (N-CQDs-S, 7.2 nm) is performed with smaller sized CQDs than that under acidic conditions (N-CQDs-F, 11.8 nm). After iodine entrapping, size average increased to be 17.9 and 27.4 nm for I2@N-CQDs-S and I2@N-CQDs-F, respectively. I2@N-CQDs-S@Gauze showed higher anti-inflammation than I2@N-CQDs-F@Gauze, while the estimated IC50 was 156.8 and 229.9 µL, respectively. For anti-microbial performance, I2@N-CQDs-F@Gauze exhibited slightly higher results, and the microbial reduction was 78.2%, 76.1 & 83.0% against S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans, respectively. Hence, the prepared I2@N-CQDs@Gauze could be promisingly applicable as bandage in wound healing for injuries treatment.
One-Pot Preparation of a Novel Imidazole-Containing Water Polyurethane to Improve the Discoloration and Durability of Silver Ion Antimicrobial Finishes on Light-Colored Cotton Fabrics
Linghui Kong Almas Anwar Jiahui Li Ning Fang Yuying Zhang Yuzhu Zhai Yijun Jiang
This study introduces a new silver-based antibacterial coating for white cotton fabric, overcoming the discoloration and durability limitations of traditional silver ion agents. A one-pot hydrothermal synthesis created a waterborne polyurethane (WPU) resin with imidazole groups. Combining this WPU resin with a silver ammonia solution and applying it to cotton fabric resulted in a functionalized textile with superior whiteness retention and lasting antibacterial properties. After 8 h of simulated sunlight, the whiteness of the treated fabric (76.8%) showed a significant improvement of 30.6% compared to a similar treatment without imidazole (58.8%), and even surpassed that of the untreated fabric (76.5%). Furthermore, the fabric maintained 99.9% inhibition rates against E. coli and S. aureus after 20 washes, with no adverse effects on other performance characteristics. This innovative approach enables the large-scale production of silver-coated antibacterial agents suitable for light-colored cotton textiles.
Characterization of PES-Based Hemodialysis Membranes with Different Tourmaline Concentrations Prepared Using Non-solvent-Induced Phase Separation
Gyeong Tae Lee Young Ki Hong
The hemodialysis membrane is the most critical element in hemodialysis, a renal replacement therapy for patients with kidney disease, significantly influencing the rate of removal of toxic substances from the blood. However, the filtration efficiency and biocompatibility of the hemodialysis membrane, which comes into direct contact with blood, tend to decrease due to membrane fouling caused by protein adsorption on the membrane surface. In this study, hemodialysis membranes were manufactured via non-solvent-induced phase separation by adding tourmaline in varying concentrations to polyethersulfone (PES). The resulting membranes exhibited a finger-like structure with improved mechanical strength and increased removal rates for toxic substances, such as urea and creatinine. The removal rate of urea increased from 38.90 to a maximum of 55.90%, and the removal rate of creatinine increased from 21.09 to 51.69%. The maximum viability of cells on the membrane was 90.36%. The results of this study demonstrate the biocompatibility and functionality of PES-based hemodialysis membranes containing tourmaline.
Preparation and Properties of PGCL Fiber for Surgical Absorbable Suture
Ying Pan Xianchen Jiang Yanlin Deng Ming Hua Pengfei Wu Lirong Yao Gangwei Pan
Surgical sutures are among the earliest commercialized medical textile materials, facilitating tissue closure and accelerating wound healing through suturing. Absorbable medical sutures represent a significant advancement in this field. Poly(glycolide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PGCL) is a novel biodegradable polymer with excellent biocompatibility, and the development of PGCL medical fibers is of considerable importance. In this study, PGCL fibers were fabricated via melt spinning, and the effects of draw ratio and drawing temperature on their structure and properties of PGCL fibers were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that the crystallization behavior and mechanical properties of PGCL fibers were highly dependent on the drawing parameters. Within an appropriate range of drawing temperature, higher drawing temperature and draw ratios contribute to increased crystallinity and enhanced mechanical performance. Specifically, when the as-spun fibers were drawn at 40 ℃ with a draw ratio of 4, the drawn fibers exhibited a crystallinity of 65.77% and a tensile strength of 1.917 cN/dtex, representing increases of 165.4% compared to the as-spun fibers. This work is expected to provide a preliminary guide for the industrial-scale production of the PGCL medical fibers.
Multifunctional Bioactive Facial Mask Fabricated Composite Nanofibers Filled with Paeonia Lactiflora Polysaccharide Exhibiting Effective Cell Proliferation
Gaonan Zheng Jinge Xu Yunqing Luo He Zhu Guifeng Gu Jiaguo Zhang Zhiqiang Cheng
Patch facial mask has many advantages of moisturizing and hydrating, but it also has some disadvantages of removing residues after use and wasting essence. In order to fabricate a new type of facial mask with biological activity, a composite nanofiber membranes was designed and constructed using electrospinning technology, consisting of hydrophilic polymer polyvinyl alcohol(PVA), hydrophobic polymer polylactic acid (PLA), and Paeonia lactiflora polysaccharide (PLP). The fiber membrane was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The spun fiber membrane exhibited good water absorption and retention capabilities, a rapid in vitro release rate, excellent1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical (DPPH) and 2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging abilities, and certain antibacterial properties. The PLP, PVA/PLA spun membrane was able to maintain the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of PLP while also possessing excellent moisture retention properties. Cell experiments demonstrated that the prepared electrospun nanofiber facial mask is safe and particularly capable of promoting cell proliferation. This composite fiber membrane provides a good basis for green and safe facial masks.
Two-Dimensional Structure Simulation of Size-Selective Filtration of Electrospun PVDF Piezoelectric Fiber Membrane Under Liquid Conditions
Teng Xie Jianyong Feng
By observing the interception of micro- and nano-particles in the filtrate by the filter medium, the filtration performance of the filter medium can be intuitively reflected. But the computational costs involved in scanning the physical structure to create a 1:1 model are huge. Therefore, this paper analyzes the structural distribution parameters of the thickness direction of the filter medium and creates a two-dimensional (2D) structural model. For the first time, computational simulations based on a 2D model were conducted to investigate the size-selective filtration performance of electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric nanofiber filter materials for nano-sized silicon dioxide (SiO2) particles, incorporating fiber distribution parameters along the thickness direction. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to analyze the fiber filter, and the accurate fiber size distribution was obtained. The distribution parameters were used to randomly generate a 2D circular surface referred to as the fiber cross-section, and then the performance parameters of the used nano-SiO2 particles were input. Finally, the multi-physical field coupling analysis and calculation of the 2D model was carried out. The interception quantity and interception distribution are compared with the experimental results. The error between the filtration effect of the obtained model and the filtration efficiency measured by the corresponding experiment is less than 0.2%. Therefore, the model can visualize the interception effect of PVDF piezoelectric fiber layer under the condition of fluid filtration and also provide a theoretical model analysis for optimizing the structural distribution characteristics of the fiber layer.