Bioinspired Green Composite Lotus Fibers
writer：Mengxi Wu, Hua Shuai, Prof. Qunfeng Cheng, and Prof. Lei Jiang
keywords：bioinspired chemistry;composite fibers;lotus fiber;mechanical properties;polymers
source：期刊
specific source：Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Issue time：2014年
Abstract
Owing to the growing global environmental problems, demands for environmentally friendly, fully biodegradable sustainable composites have substantially increased across various industries. Inspired by the composite structure of cocoon silk, we fabricated a fully green composite fiber (GCF) that is based on the lotus fiber (LF) and a biodegradable polymer, namely poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). After the formation of cross-linkages between the LF and PVA, the mechanical properties of this bioinspired GCF had substantially improved. In particular, the specific mechanical properties are superior to those of cocoon silk and other natural fibers. These findings suggest that LFs may be used as reinforcement materials for the fabrication of bulk green materials for various industries, such as the textile, medical, automobile, and aerospace industries.