Biomimetic preparation and multi-sc ale microstructures of nano-sil ica/polyurethane elastomeric fibers

Bioinspired by the spinning of spider silks,the biomimetic preparation of nano-silica/polyurethane（nano-SiO/TPU） elastomeric fibers with distinctive multi-scale microstructures was successfully implemented.The formation mechanism of the nano-SiO₂/TPU fibers was considered as the integrated mechanism of diffusion,coagulation,self-assembly,and microphase separation,same as that of the native spider silks.The mass ratio of nano-SiO₂ to TPU greatly influenced the external and inner microstructures of the nano-SiO₂ATPU fibers.The formation process of the nano-SiO₂/TPU fibers was simply described as three main stages,and the second stage,such as the adding of the ethanol solvents and nano-SiO₂ in different diameters,was thought to be very crucial for the final external and inner microstructures of the prepared fibers.For example,the adding of the ethanol and the nano-SiO₂ spheres in diameter of 10 nm resulted in the existence of many TPU-self-assembled microspheres mostly spaced apart by the nano-SiO₂ aggregates in the nano-SiOVTPU fibers,while the adding of the ethanol and the nano-SiO₂ spheres in diameter of 100 nm resulted in the existence of the nano-SiO₂ spheres,instead of the TPU-self-assembled microspheres,distributed in the nano-SiO₂/TPU fibers.