Electrospinning of Fluorine-Free Waterproof–Breathable Nanofiber Membranes with Thermal Regulation for Anticounterfeiting
Zhanzhao Li, Gaihuan Ren, Yanlai Feng, Yunhe Zhang, Zhenhua Cui, Dongxu Lu, Luoman Zhang, Hongqin Yu, Weitao Li, Pengbi Liu, Jianxin He
Abstract
Waterproof and breathable membranes (WBMs) have gained significant attention as versatile functional materials. However, developing a fluorine-free WBM with waterproofness, breathability, and thermo-regulation performance using a straightforward strategy remains a significant challenge. Direct electrospinning was used to fabricate fluorine-free silicon-based polyurethane/graphene quantum dots/stearic acid (SiPU/GQDs/SA) nanofiber membranes. SA, a phase change material with low surface energy, imparts the nanofiber membrane enhanced hydrophobicity and thermo-regulation performance. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) further increased the phase transition enthalpy of the SiPU/GQDs/SA nanofiber membranes. The resulting SiPU/GQDs/SA-20 WBM demonstrates exceptional water resistance (hydrostatic pressure, 67.8 kPa), good breathability (water vapor transmission (WVT) rate, 5166 g m –2 d –1 ), remarkable tensile strength (tensile stress, 5.95 MPa), stable thermo-regulation performance (phase transition latent heat, 29.57 J/g), and outstanding anticounterfeiting performance. This fluorine-free, highly protective, and comfortable WBM offers extensive application prospects in fields such as outdoor textiles and electronic devices.