Segmented metallized electrospun fibers with high flexibility and electrical conductivity

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The topic of this proposal is the preparation of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional scaffolds of electrospun fibers which are partially metallized. The partial metallization will be achieved by segmentation of the fibers along the fiber long axis. The fiber surface will display in alternating metal and polymer surfaces which results in segmented structures. This will lead to enhanced flexibility of the fibers but still sufficient contacts for perclation between the metallized parts to assure electrical conductivity of the scaffold. The resulting structures will represent new types of electrodes which show high metallic conductivity in combination with mechanical flexibility. Surely, this type of electrodes would find numerous applications which will be probed in the final working package of this proposal. Key for achievement of this new type of electrodes are 2 milestones: 1. The preparation of segmented ionically modified fibers by layer-by-layer coating and 2. The metallization of the segmented fibers by different methods. For both of these crucial parts of the project we have excellent prework and an excellent cooperation partner with the group of Prof. Yoon (Korea University). We will probe together different methods of metallization and investigate the process in detail in order to gain a fundamental understanding of this promising approach to microscaled functional polymer/metal hybrid structures. It should not remain unmentioned that our cooperation partner, Prof. Yoon, will probe the partially metallized scaffolds as electrodes in water splitting and water purification which is a special expertise of the Yoon group.