Systems having polymeric fibers with metallic nanoparticles thereon and methods of fabrication

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that entail polymeric fibers produced via an electrospinning process, and metallic nanostructures adhered to surfaces of the polymeric fibers via an electroless deposition process. Suitable materials for the polymeric fibers and metallic nanostructures include polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers and copper nanostructures, respectively.

1 . A system comprising:
 polymeric fibers produced via an electrospinning process; and   metallic nanostructures adhered to surfaces of the polymeric fibers via an electroless deposition process.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are nanofibers. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are aligned. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers define a mat. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanostructures are discretely distributed on the polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanostructures are nanocubes. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanostructures are nanoparticles. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanostructures define a conformal coating on the surfaces of the polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers were subjected to a chemical treatment based on alkaline hydrolysis prior to the electroless deposition process. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers were pretreated with seed crystals of transition or noble metals prior to the electroless deposition process. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the seed crystals included silver and/or palladium. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers and the metallic nanostructures are copper nanostructures. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanostructures are exposed at the surfaces of the polymeric fibers rather than entirely embedded therein. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 producing polymeric fibers via an electrospinning process; and   producing metallic nanostructures on and adhered to surfaces of the polymeric fibers via an electroless deposition process.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the metallic nanostructures define discrete distributed nanoparticles on the surfaces of the polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the metallic nanostructures define a conformal coating on the surfaces of the polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising performing an alkaline hydrolysis treatment on the polymeric fibers prior to the electroless deposition process. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising pretreating the polymeric fibers with seed crystals of silver and/or palladium prior to the electroless deposition process. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising pretreating the polymeric fibers with seed crystals of transition or noble metals prior to the electroless deposition process and controlling the resulting metallic nanostructure distribution on the polymeric fibers by controlling the density of the seed crystals. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the polymeric fibers are polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers and the metallic nanostructures are copper nanostructures.