Intelligent Fiber: a flexible, self-cleaning smart graphene airgel phase change fiber

Smart fibers generally refers to fibers or changes in the environment perceptible stimuli (optical, electrical, temperature, humidity, pH, mechanical, etc.) and can respond, smart wearable important basic unit of the fabric. Smart fibers may form a fabric by the intelligent, integrated into the cuff, sleeve, clothing, helmets, belts and other parts, and application as the core unit wearable sensors, actuators, energy devices, such as a heater and temperature control functions fabric device the flexible wearable intelligence system. However, most fabric or fiber-based natural polymer to a synthetic polymer. The polymer having an intrinsic thermal insulation and electrical insulation properties, making it difficult to integrate with an organic miniaturized circuit, and therefore not only limit the application of the fabric fibers in conventional electronic devices, is also tied novel wearable electronic devices and intelligent robot development of. In addition, how intelligent fiber in the face of human-computer interaction in complex environments and multiple stimuli-responsive functional integration, is still a major challenge, but also the future of the new multi-functional smart wearable system is an important opportunity for development. Multiple stimulation fiber-based intelligent response to this demand function integration, Chinese Academy of Nano Technology Institute Nanobionics team graphene airgel airgel fiber, the phase change material and a composite clever superhydrophobic coating, to give a flexible self-cleaning graphene airgel intelligent fiber phase change, energy conversion and storage to achieve the composite fiber, self-cleaning, smart thermostat, heating multiple stimulation in response to a function. The specific preparation process is as follows: First, by a wet spinning process, the graphene oxide is spun into a liquid coagulation bath in particular, by chemical reduction – supercritical drying techniques and the like prepared with structured, continuous, porous airgel fiber graphene ; then filled by dipping, the organic phase change material (such as paraffin wax, polyethylene glycol, a higher fatty acid, etc.) is introduced into the porous network structure of the airgel fibers, to obtain graphene airgel composite fiber phase change; Finally compound fluorocarbon hydrophobic coating on the fiber package obtained graphene airgel intelligent flexible fibers having a self-cleaning function, multiple stimulation responsive behavior. FIG: multiple stimulation graphene airgel intelligent response schematic fibers (a), an optical photograph of its weave pattern (b, c,) and the light – infrared photo thermal response time (b1, c1), which intelligence Process fabric (the illustration d) in the optical / electrical stimulation energy converted and stored in the response / release (d). Studies have shown that this new type of intelligent fiber has an adjustable phaseEnthalpy value (0-186 J / g), excellent mechanical / electrical properties, self-cleaning, and in response to multiple stimuli (optical, electrical, temperature) thermal energy conversion and storage / release function, and the fibers may be twisted, braided. For the form of single fibers, fiber bundles and fabrics, analyzed and explores the complex environmental response stimulation behavior: when the fiber is bent or knotted, electrothermal fiber response behavior is not affected, when the fibers are assembled into bundles, fiber heat exchange occurs between the fiber loss can be reduced to the thermal environment, thus exhibiting a more rapid response and the electric response of higher temperatures; fabric has a light at room temperature and low temperature – thermally responsive behavior, and with denseness of the fabric is increased, the light having a faster thermal response, in response to a higher temperature. Further, by thermocouples and data logger, a detailed analysis of the individual fibers, heating the fibrous web, in response to light and heat history, and studied in detail fiber type (phase change material different fiber mixed fabric), a dense fabric degree, the external environment (temperature, humidity and stress) on the capture and release of heat energy, thermal energy storage to achieve a multi-temperature zone of the smart fabric, and release thermostat function (as shown). By graphene airgel fiber, the phase change material and the fluorocarbon resin composite obtained ingenious graphene airgel achieve multi-functional integrated intelligent fiber in response to multiple stimuli, and it may be reproduced by twisting the fiber yarn and among the woven fabrics, fabrics in the new generation of intelligent wearable and portable electronic devices have broad application prospects. Research results to Multiresponsive Graphene-Aerogel-Directed Phase-Change Smart Fibers in the title, has been published online in the international journal \”Advanced Materials\” (Advanced Materials, 2018,30, DOI: 10.1002 / adma.201801754). Doctoral student Li Guangyong (jointly with the Beijing Institute of Technology of Nano culture) as the first author of the paper, with the Suzhou Institute of Nano researcher Zhang corresponding author for the paper, collaborators include the University of Macau professor Hung fruit, professor of English at University College London Song Wenhui. The work is in the national key R & D program (2016YFA0203301), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51572285), United Kingdom Newton senior scholar Fund (NA170184) and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Completed under BK20170428) of co-financing.