Tuning In‐Plane Wicking Properties of Hydrophilic Fibrous Membranes Using Hydrophobic Fibrous Cover Layers
Abstract This study elucidates the effect of thin porous hydrophobic covering layers on the in‐plane wicking properties of a hydrophilic fibrous membrane. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibrous membrane is used as the hydrophilic membrane model and poly(vinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) f...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley-VCH
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Advanced Materials Interfaces |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202200741 |
| _version_ | 1827893260593397760 |
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| author | Hongjie Wang He Wang Xin Jin Hua Zhou Hongxia Wang Wenyu Wang Fangtao Ruan Quan Feng Tong Lin |
| author_facet | Hongjie Wang He Wang Xin Jin Hua Zhou Hongxia Wang Wenyu Wang Fangtao Ruan Quan Feng Tong Lin |
| author_sort | Hongjie Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study elucidates the effect of thin porous hydrophobic covering layers on the in‐plane wicking properties of a hydrophilic fibrous membrane. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibrous membrane is used as the hydrophilic membrane model and poly(vinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) fibrous membranes as hydrophobic covers, both prepared by electrospinning. The vertical wicking height is measured to express the in‐plane wicking properties. The results show that the PVDF‐HFP fibrous layer profoundly impacted the in‐plane wicking properties. When the PVDF‐HFP layer is 5.00–7.05 µm in thickness, the PVDF‐HFP/PAN composite membranes show a directional water transport property. The wicking height is higher than the other composite membranes with either a thinner PVDF‐HFP layer (<5.00 µm), which causes a two‐way liquid transport, or a thicker PVDF‐HFP layer (>7.05 µm), which stops water permeation from both sides. Such a trend happened no matter whether the PVDF‐HFP layer covered one or both PAN membrane sides. The composite membranes with a PVDF‐HFP layer thicker than 7.05 µm show the smallest wicking height. By changing PVDF‐HFP layer thickness, the wicking height can be adjusted by 50–110%. Such thickness‐dependent wicking capability is novel, having not been reported in the previous literature. It comes from the combined action of hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces on water. The tunable wicking properties combined with the water‐absorbing and transport properties enabled the PVDF‐HFP/PAN fibrous membranes to exhibit different functions. They offer opportunities to develop novel “smart” membranes for various applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:51:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-80b44eab75b74ee7be1911dd90f8eff5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2196-7350 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:51:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley-VCH |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advanced Materials Interfaces |
| spelling | doaj.art-80b44eab75b74ee7be1911dd90f8eff52023-07-26T01:40:29ZengWiley-VCHAdvanced Materials Interfaces2196-73502023-01-01101n/an/a10.1002/admi.202200741Tuning In‐Plane Wicking Properties of Hydrophilic Fibrous Membranes Using Hydrophobic Fibrous Cover LayersHongjie Wang0He Wang1Xin Jin2Hua Zhou3Hongxia Wang4Wenyu Wang5Fangtao Ruan6Quan Feng7Tong Lin8School of Textile and Garment Anhui Polytechnic University Wuhu 241000 ChinaSchool of Textile and Garment Anhui Polytechnic University Wuhu 241000 ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering Tiangong University Tianjin 300387 ChinaCollege of Textiles and Clothing Qingdao University Qingdao 266071 ChinaSchool of Textile and Garment Anhui Polytechnic University Wuhu 241000 ChinaSchool of Textile Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes Tiangong University Tianjin 300387 ChinaSchool of Textile and Garment Anhui Polytechnic University Wuhu 241000 ChinaSchool of Textile and Garment Anhui Polytechnic University Wuhu 241000 ChinaSchool of Textile Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes Tiangong University Tianjin 300387 ChinaAbstract This study elucidates the effect of thin porous hydrophobic covering layers on the in‐plane wicking properties of a hydrophilic fibrous membrane. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibrous membrane is used as the hydrophilic membrane model and poly(vinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) fibrous membranes as hydrophobic covers, both prepared by electrospinning. The vertical wicking height is measured to express the in‐plane wicking properties. The results show that the PVDF‐HFP fibrous layer profoundly impacted the in‐plane wicking properties. When the PVDF‐HFP layer is 5.00–7.05 µm in thickness, the PVDF‐HFP/PAN composite membranes show a directional water transport property. The wicking height is higher than the other composite membranes with either a thinner PVDF‐HFP layer (<5.00 µm), which causes a two‐way liquid transport, or a thicker PVDF‐HFP layer (>7.05 µm), which stops water permeation from both sides. Such a trend happened no matter whether the PVDF‐HFP layer covered one or both PAN membrane sides. The composite membranes with a PVDF‐HFP layer thicker than 7.05 µm show the smallest wicking height. By changing PVDF‐HFP layer thickness, the wicking height can be adjusted by 50–110%. Such thickness‐dependent wicking capability is novel, having not been reported in the previous literature. It comes from the combined action of hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces on water. The tunable wicking properties combined with the water‐absorbing and transport properties enabled the PVDF‐HFP/PAN fibrous membranes to exhibit different functions. They offer opportunities to develop novel “smart” membranes for various applications.https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202200741directional water transportfibrous membraneshydrophilichydrophobicin‐plane wicking |
| spellingShingle | Hongjie Wang He Wang Xin Jin Hua Zhou Hongxia Wang Wenyu Wang Fangtao Ruan Quan Feng Tong Lin Tuning In‐Plane Wicking Properties of Hydrophilic Fibrous Membranes Using Hydrophobic Fibrous Cover Layers Advanced Materials Interfaces directional water transport fibrous membranes hydrophilic hydrophobic in‐plane wicking |
| title | Tuning In‐Plane Wicking Properties of Hydrophilic Fibrous Membranes Using Hydrophobic Fibrous Cover Layers |
| title_full | Tuning In‐Plane Wicking Properties of Hydrophilic Fibrous Membranes Using Hydrophobic Fibrous Cover Layers |
| title_fullStr | Tuning In‐Plane Wicking Properties of Hydrophilic Fibrous Membranes Using Hydrophobic Fibrous Cover Layers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tuning In‐Plane Wicking Properties of Hydrophilic Fibrous Membranes Using Hydrophobic Fibrous Cover Layers |
| title_short | Tuning In‐Plane Wicking Properties of Hydrophilic Fibrous Membranes Using Hydrophobic Fibrous Cover Layers |
| title_sort | tuning in plane wicking properties of hydrophilic fibrous membranes using hydrophobic fibrous cover layers |
| topic | directional water transport fibrous membranes hydrophilic hydrophobic in‐plane wicking |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202200741 |
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