State-of-the-Art of Fullerene-Based Nanocomposite Nanofibers—Enterprise and Technological Amenabilities

ABSTRACT

This state-of-the-art article summarizes the design, fabrication, properties, and potential of polymer/fullerene nanocomposite nanofibers. Polymers such as epoxy, polylactic acid, poly(N-vinylcarbazole), and poly(3-hexylthiophene) have been processed with fullerene nano-reinforcement to form nanofibers. The most prominent fabrication technique utilized for these nanofibers is electrospinning. The nanocomposite nanofibers have been investigated for their unique microstructure, mechanical, thermal, and other physical characteristics. The polymer/fullerene nanofiber properties depend upon nanofiller content/dispersion, matrix–nanofiller interactions, and fabrication technique/parameters. Potential applications of polymer/fullerene nanocomposite nanofibers have been observed for photovoltaics, Li-ion batteries, and bioimaging. Future research attempts are indispensable to achieve innovative designs and technical performance of nanocomposite nanofibers.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Fullerene
• nanocomposite
• nanofiber
• photovoltaics
• polymer

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ayesha Kausar

Ayesha Kausar works for National Centre for Physics, Islamabad, Pakistan. She previously worked for Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan and National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan. She obtained her PhD from Quaid-i-Azam University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea. Dr. Kausar’s current research interests include the design, fabrication, characterization, and exploration of structure-property relationships and potential prospects of nanocomposites, polymeric nanocomposites, polymeric composites, polymeric nanoparticles, polymer dots, nanocarbon materials (graphene and derivatives, carbon nanotube, nanodiamond, graphene, carbon nano-onion, carbon nanocoil, carbon nanobelt, carbon nanodisk, carbon dot, and other nanocarbons), hybrid materials, eco-friendly materials, nanocomposite nanofibers, and nano-foam architectures. Consideration of morphological, mechanical, thermal, electrical, anti-corrosion, barrier, flame retardant, radiation shielding, biomedical, and other essential materials properties for aerospace, automotive, fuel cell membranes, Li-ion battery electrodes, electronics, sensors, solar cells, water treatment, gas separation, textiles, energy production and storage devices, biomaterials, and other technical relevance are among her notable research concerns.