A Molecular-Level Picture of Electrospinning

Unraveling the Mechanical Property Decrease of Electrospun Spider Silk: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

This study investigated the impact of electric fields on Nephila clavipes spider silk using molecular dynamics modeling. Electric fields with varying amplitudes and directions were observed to disrupt the β sheet structure of spider silk and reduce its mechanical properties. However, a notable exception was observed when a 0.1 V/nm electric field was applied in the antiparallel direction, resulting in improvements in Young's modulus and ultimate tensile strength. The antiparallel direction was observed to be particularly sensitive to electric fields, causing disruptions in beta sheets and hydrogen bonds, which significantly influence the mechanical properties. This study demonstrates that spider silk maintains its structural integrity at 0.1 V/nm. Possibly, lowering the power levels of typical electrospinning machines can prevent secondary structural disruption. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing silk fiber production and applications using natural silk proteins while shedding light on the impact of electric fields on other silk proteins. Finally, this study opens up possibilities for optimizing electrospinning processes to enhance performance in various silk electrospinning applications.

A novel sensor based on Ti3C2 MXene/Co3O4/carbon nanofibers composite for the sensitive detection of 4-aminophenol

A novel, sensitive Ti3C2 MXene/Co3O4/carbon nanofibers (Ti3C2 MXene/Co3O4/CNFs) composite was synthesized via a HF exfoliating Ti3AlC2 strategy, followed by doping Co3O4 and Ti3C2 MXene into the CNFs via a combination electrospinning and thermal annealing process. Ti3C2 MXene/Co3O4/CNFs composite exhibits higher catalytic effect, conductivity, chemical stability, and electrochemical performance than Co3O4 and Ti3C2 MXene in electrochemical impedance, differential pulse stripping voltammetry, chronocoulometry, and cyclic voltammetry tests. This Ti3C2 MXene/Co3O4/CNFs hybrid modified electrode provides fast analysis of 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with ultrahigh sensitivity, enhanced reproducibility and strong anti-interference capability. Furthermore, the level of 4-AP was quantified by this electrode with a wide linear range from 0.5 to 150 μM (R2 > 0.99) and a low detection limit about 0.018 μM was achieved. Finally, the fabricated electrode was used for fast and sensitive analysis of 4-AP spiked in tap water and blood serum samples. This work presents the new Ti3C2 MXene/Co3O4/CNFs electrode provides a platform for 4-AP monitoring and has the advantages of high selectivity, accuracy, simplicity, and rapid analysis.