Bimodal fiber diameter distributed graphene oxide/nylon-6 composite nanofibrous mats via electrospinning

In this work, nylon-6 spider-wave-like nano-nets are fabricated by regulating the amount of graphene oxide (GO) in polymer solution during electrospinning. The spider-wave-like nano-nets that comprise interlinked thin (approximate to 14 nm diameter) and thick fibers (approximate to 192 nm diameter) are widely distributed throughout the mat when suitable amount of GO is blended with nylon-6 solution. The heterogeneous composite mats were composed of bimodal nanofibers in which pore diameter was sufficiently decreased. The acceleration in ionization and degradation of nylon-6 (due to formic acid) solution caused by well-dispersed GO sheet as well as the formation of hydrogen bond between nylon-6 molecules and GO sheet during electrospinning are proposed as the possible mechanisms for the formation of these spider-wave-like nano-nets. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.