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. 12, Dec. 2025)
Innovations in Wild Silk Processing and Applications: A Comparative Review of African and Other Wild Silks
Khayelihle Mlungisi Gumedze Temesgen Girma Kebede Mathew Muzi Nindi Simiso Dube Hlobsile Kgomo
Silkworm silk is categorized into mulberry and non-mulberry, corresponding to domesticated and wild silk, respectively. Mulberry silk of domesticated Bombyx mori silk moth has been extensively explored and used in textiles and biomedical applications. Non-mulberry (wild) silk comes from non-domesticated silkworms. The three major types of wild silks of commercial importance are: tasar, muga and eri. Africa is also home to various less studied and underutilized wild silkworms, such as Gonometa rufobrunnea, Gonometa postica, and Argema mimosae. This review presents a structured discussion on conventional processing of wild silk and current advancements, such as the use of ionic liquids, microwave-assisted and ultrasonic-assisted degumming techniques. A comprehensive analysis of techniques for preparing various silk formats, including films, nanofibers, scaffolds, hydrogels, silk powder, and nanoparticles, is also covered. Finally, the review examines the potential applications of wild silk fibroin biomaterials. The review also highlights the limited research on African wild silk fibroin compared to the other wild silks. Noting the great potential already demonstrated by African silks with potential application in food, water, cosmetics and electrical industries.
Biodegradable PCL Hybrids with 6-Aminocoumarin: A Promising Material for Antimicrobial Implants and Tissue Engineering
Maer Alanazi Shadiah Albalawi Arwa Alharbi Sara A. Alqarni Adel I. Alalawy Abeer Mogadem Roba M. S. Attar Nashwa M. El-Metwaly
Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biodegradable polyester widely used in biomedical applications due to its biocompatibility and tunable mechanical properties. However, its lack of inherent antimicrobial activity limits its utility in infection-prone settings. This study reports the covalent modification of PCL with 6-aminocoumarin (6-AMC) to create functional composites (PCL/6-AMC) with enhanced crystallinity, fluorescence, and antimicrobial properties. The composites were synthesized via solvent casting and characterized using XRD, FTIR, NMR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and SEM. XRD analysis revealed that 6-AMC incorporation increased PCL crystallinity by up to 40%, while FTIR and NMR confirmed covalent bonding via aminolysis of PCL ester groups. UV–Vis spectra demonstrated successful 6-AMC integration, with a characteristic absorption peak at 400 nm. Antimicrobial assays against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger showed dose-dependent activity, with PCL/6-AMC (6 wt.%) achieving 100% growth inhibition of S. aureus and E. coli. Cytotoxicity assays on human fetal lung fibroblasts (Wi38) confirmed biocompatibility for PCL and its PCL/6-AMC (IC50 ranged from 721.78, 1020.83, and 1143 µg/mL for PCL, PCL3/6-AMC, and PCL6/6-AMC, respectively). The composites combine PCL’s biodegradability with 6-AMC’s antimicrobial and fluorescent properties, offering potential for applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and antimicrobial coatings.
Shape-Replicated Polypyrrole Nanobelts via Organic Crystal Surface-Induced Polymerization in Acetonitrile for Counter Electrodes
Eunjung Cho Gyeong Cheol Yu Jin Young Lee Seul-A Park Cheol Hun Park Dong Ki Hwang Jun Mo Koo
Polypyrrole nanobelts (PNBs) were synthesized through an organic single-crystal surface-induced polymerization (OCSP) method utilizing single crystals of 5-sulfoisophthalic acid sodium salt (5-SINa) in acetonitrile, a polar aprotic organic solvent. The OCSP technique enables the polypyrrole to grow along the surface of the organic crystals, replicating their needle-like morphology. This shape-copying approach results in highly anisotropic PNBs with significantly improved structural order and surface area. Compared to conventionally synthesized polypyrrole, the PNBs exhibited enhanced π- stacking interactions and a higher doping level, which collectively contributed to a notable electrical conductivity of 21.3 S/cm, approximately seven times higher than that of polypyrrole fabricated without the use of organic single crystals. The OCSP process in acetonitrile also offers advantages such as a fast reaction rate, low processing cost, and high product yield, making it suitable for scalable manufacturing. To evaluate their electrochemical performance, the PNBs were employed as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The resulting devices demonstrated high optical transmittance and an overall energy conversion efficiency reaching 75% of the standard platinum-based cells. These findings highlight the potential of PNBs as a cost-effective and flexible alternative to noble metal-based materials for next-generation optoelectronic and energy devices.
Modification and Biomimetic Preparation of Two-Dimensional Alginate Actuator for Improving Wet Response
Fengyan Li Bingbing Liu Qianru Wang Dingtiao Zhang
The flexible yarn actuator driven by wetting is advantageous in environmental adaptability as smart wearable elements. Here, two-dimensional alginate fiber yarns were prepared by blending alginate fiber with viscose fiber to enhance the spinnability and hygroscopicity of alginate fiber. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and glutaraldehyde (GA) were cross-linked with alginate fiber blended yarns. The alginate yarn actuator was prepared by imitating spiral plant vines and stems and optimized by varying processing parameters as well as simulated with Finite Element Software. The results show that the shrinkage of different blended ratios is consistent at relative humidity from 20 to 40%, but after 40%, the shrinkage of blended yarn actuator with alginate/viscose fibers of 40/60 is significantly greater than that of 50/50, showing an excellent actuation among the three physical blended yarns. The contraction of yarn actuator model demonstrates consistent tendency with the experimental results. After modified with PVA and GA, hydrophilicity of the blended yarns is further increased. The shrinkage ratio of the yarn actuator is 29.09% at 5% PVA concentration. During the biomimetic preparation, the shrinkage ratio of yarn actuator increases with the twist number while decreases with the coil number. Meanwhile, the work capacity of yarn actuator increases with load weight and decreases with coil yarn number. At linear density of 240 tex, twist of 500 twists /m, load weight of 1.8 g and coil number of 4 coils /cm, the maximum shrinkage ratio of PVA modified yarn actuator reaches 50.18%. The chemically modified alginate yarn actuator shows high stability.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Gas Separation Properties of Polyimides Incorporating Fluorinated Non-coplanar Triphenylamine Units
Chao Shan Junhao Mo Shanshan Wu Junjie Qu Chanjuan Liu Xiaoyi Sun Xiaohua Huang
A series of fluorinated copolyimides containing non-coplanar triphenylamine (TPA) units was synthesized from 4,4′-diamino-3′′,5′′-difluorotriphenylamine (DMTPA), 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA), and 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA) through high-temperature polycondensation. The resulting copolyimides exhibited high thermal stability, good solubility in common organic solvents, optical transparency, and enhanced hydrophobicity. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and molecular simulations confirmed that the bulky fluorinated TPA units increased interchain spacing and fractional free volume (FFV), thereby facilitating gas transport. Gas permeation measurements at 35 °C and 4 bar revealed that CO2 permeability increased with TPA content, whereas CO2/N2 selectivity remained nearly constant (~ 21). The best-performing membrane (DFPI-5) achieved a CO2 permeability of 24.93 Barrer with a CO2/N2 selectivity of 21.31, approaching the 2008 Robeson upper bound. These findings underscore the effectiveness of fluorinated, non-coplanar TPA moieties in tailoring polyimide membranes for advanced gas separation.
Tannic Acid/Gelatin/Sodium Alginate Multifunctional Composite Hydrogels with Biocompatible and Antibacterial Properties
Que Kong Xinyi Hu Yilin Wu Zhiguang Li
Gelatin has been widely employed as a biomaterial for wound dressing fabrication owing to its excellent biocompatibility. However, its applications are limited by structural instability and lack of multifunctionality. To address these limitations, we developed a novel tannic acid/gelatin/sodium alginate (TA/Gel/SA) composite hydrogel through hydrogen bonding and Michael addition reactions under alkaline conditions. Comprehensive characterization revealed that the incorporation of tannic acid at a concentration of 0.6 wt% significantly enhanced the hydrogel's cross-linking density and mechanical strength. Furthermore, the modified hydrogel exhibited remarkable antibacterial properties with an inhibition zone diameter of 42.5 mm and antioxidant properties with a radical scavenging rate of 75%, along with substantially improved blood coagulation capability. The material demonstrated an acceptable hemolysis rate, meeting essential requirements for wound care applications. With its superior biocompatibility and multifunctional performance, this TA/Gel/SA hydrogel shows promising potential for biomedical applications, particularly in advanced wound management systems.
Electrospinning Polylactic Acid-Based Antibacterial Membranes for Wound Dressings: Synergistic Influence of Salicylic Acid and ZnO
Rui Tie Sudan Zhou Zixuan Liu Yansong Huang Ee Wang Yujuan Jin Huafeng Tian Hua Wu Yunxuan Weng
This study investigates the synergistic effects of the incorporation of salicylic acid (SA) and nano-zinc oxide (ZnO) on the physicochemical and antibacterial properties of polylactic acid (PLA)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-based nanofiber membranes fabricated via electrospinning. The results indicate that the introduction of SA significantly enhances the solution conductivity and thermal stability of the nanofiber membranes, while effectively promoting the uniform distribution of ZnO nanoparticles within the fiber matrix. On the other hand, the addition of ZnO increases the solution viscosity, elevates the thermal decomposition activation energy, boosts the residual carbon content, and modulates the release rate of SA, achieving approximately 90% sustained release within 8 days in accordance with Fick diffusion. At the optimized loading concentration of 2% SA and 2% ZnO, the nanofiber membranes exhibit optimal mechanical properties, with an increased elongation at break of 88% and a tensile strength reaching 2.3 MPa. Although both SA and ZnO possess certain hydrophobic properties, leading to a slight decrease in the hydrophilicity of the fiber membranes, the composite composition under this condition demonstrates the most superior overall performance. Antibacterial test results reveal that PLA/PVP drug-loaded fiber membranes containing 2% SA and 2% ZnO exhibit strong inhibitory effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with inhibition zones increasing to 14.0 mm and 13.2 mm, respectively. Furthermore, cytotoxicity evaluations further confirm that the fiber membranes loaded with SA and ZnO possess high cell viability and excellent cell compatibility, suggesting their broad application potential in the biomedical field.
Preparation of TA@Mg(OH)2/TPU Nanofiber Film and Its Composite Yarns with Flame Retardancy, Antibacterial and Mechanical Improvement
Shuo Zhang Mengyao Guo Jiaqing Wu Ying Wang Xin Zhang
A novel spinning method that integrates electrospun nanofiber strips into yarn structures has been developed to produce multifunctional yarns. The resulting yarn exhibited a core-sheath structure, with a core composed of tannic acid-modified magnesium hydroxide/thermoplastic polyurethane (TA@MH/TPU) nanofiber strip, sheathed by either pure cotton or cotton/sodium alginate blended fibers. The TA modification improved the dispersion of MH within the TPU matrix, leading to enhanced membrane strength compared to unmodified MH/TPU at equal loadings. The film containing 7% TA@MH/TPU demonstrated optimal mechanical properties (breaking strength of 1.43 MPa, elongation of 122.93%), flame retardancy (limiting oxygen index of 27.1%), and antibacterial efficacy killing ratios of 80.87% against E. coli and 85.07% against S. aureus. Yarns fabricated with this film, the TA@MH/TPU-cotton (CMSCY) retained the antibacterial functionality (67.48% against E. coli and 79.05% against S. aureus), and the TA@MH/TPU-cotton/sodium alginate (C/SAMSCY) achieved the flame retardancy with a limiting oxygen index of 27.8%. Notably, the CMSCY yarn showed a high tensile strength of 1.53 MPa, which was 15 times that of the TA@MH/TPU nanofiber film, addressing the application limitations of nanofiber membranes caused by their low mechanical strength. Given that electrospun membranes can be readily functionalized, this spinning method offers a promising strategy for producing composite yarns, particularly for developing multifunctional textile fabrics.
Barium Titanate/Polyacrylonitrile Nanomembrane Nanogenerator for Detecting Electrical Signals of Human Body Movements
Tianchan Jia Shengbin Cao Xiaosong Liu Xue Zhang Yue Liu Qiang Cao
In order to meet the growing demand for flexible wearable electronic products, flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators have received widespread attention as a sustainable power source in wireless mobile devices. This article reported Barium Titanate/Polyacrylonitrile (BaTiO3/PAN) composite nanofiber membranes prepared via electrospinning technology to successfully disperse high dielectric constant BaTiO3 with varied concentration in PAN solution. The increase of BaTiO3 particles helps to improve the output voltage of PAN nanofibers, and the output performance of BaTiO3/PAN flexible composite piezoelectric nanogenerator is the best with an output voltage of 1.6 V and current of 5.6 nA, respectively, when the mass fraction of BaTiO3 is 15%. Such BaTiO3/PAN composite nanofiber membrane also exhibits excellent flexibility, plus an outstanding stability of the synthesized BaTiO3/PAN composite nanofiber membrane piezoelectric nanogenerator after 2000 cycles of mechanical testing, which enables it to have an enormous potential in wireless sensing and wearable device applications. Therefore, this BaTiO3/PAN piezoelectric nanogenerator can detect the current signals of the human body in states, such as elbow bending, knee bending, running, and breathing, providing a reference for the development of high-performance and self-powered wearable bioelectronic products.
Effects of Annealing on the Structure and Properties of a Melt-Blown Nonwoven Fabricated with Polypropylene and Poly-(Ethylene Terephthalate) Extruded Simultaneously from Nozzles of Different Diameters
Rina Tomita Kim Kyoung-Hou Ren Tomisawa
Melt-blown (MB) nonwoven fabrics are made by mixing thick poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers with polypropylene fibers to induce special functionality. However, their production is complex. In this study, a simpler process in which PET and polypropylene were extruded simultaneously from large and small nozzle holes, respectively, was developed. The resulting nonwoven was annealed for 5–15 min. The effects of the PET fibers and the annealing time on the structure and physical properties of the nonwoven were investigated. The proportion of the fibers with a diameter greater than 30 µm increased, indicating that the extruded PET produces thick fibers. The PET crystallinity increased from 6 to 45% with annealing time. Furthermore, the compressibility of the nonwoven decreased and its compression–recovery rate slightly increased with annealing time. The above changes in compression ability appear to be caused by the increase in the initial elastic modulus of the PET fibers owing to the increase in their diameter and crystallinity.