General Bioinspired, Innovative Method for Fabrication of Surface-Nickeled Meta-aramid Fibers

To achieve satisfactory electrical conductivity is still a challenge, without sacrificing the superior integrated performance of meta-aramid (PMIA) fibers. Here a novel, bioinspired two-step approach was reported to fabricate surface-nickeled PMIA fibers with admirable electrical conductivity. The formation of polydopamine-functionalized silver nanoparticle assemblies (DOPA@AgNAS) deposited on the surface of the PMIA fibers simply included the magnetic stirring of 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA) and silver ammonia in an aqueous solution at room temperature and dipping the PMIA fibers into the aqueous solution simultaneously. After, the DOPA@AgNAS functioned as the catalyst for the subsequent progress of the electroless nickel plating. The as-prepared nickel-coated PMIA fibers (DOPA@AgNAS-Ni-PMIA) possess outstanding electrically conductive properties and exhibit exceptional mechanical stability. More importantly, because of its high flexibility, DOPA@AgNAS-Ni-PMIA can be utilized in numerous fields.