Affiliations 

  • 1 Mechanical Engineering Discipline, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, pad. 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy
  • 3 Multidisciplinary Platform of Advanced Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
Nanomaterials (Basel), 2021 Nov 08;11(11).
PMID: 34835761 DOI: 10.3390/nano11112998

Abstract

This study, for the first time, focused on the fabrication of nonporous polyurea thin films (~200 microns) using the electrospinning method as a novel approach for coating applications. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and hydrophilic-fumed nanosilica (HFNS) were added separately into electrospun polyurea films as nano-reinforcing fillers for the enhancement of properties. Neat polyurea films demonstrated a tensile strength of 14 MPa with an elongation of 360%. At a loading of 0.2% of MWCNTs, the highest tensile strength of 21 MPa and elongation of 402% were obtained, while the water contact angle remained almost unchanged (89°). Surface morphology analysis indicated that the production of polyurea fibers during electrospinning bonded together upon curing, leading to a nonporous film. Neat polyurea exhibited high thermal resistance with a degradation temperature of 380 °C. Upon reinforcement with 0.2% of MWCNTs and 0.4% of HFNS, it increased by ~7 °C. The storage modulus increased by 42 MPa with the addition of 0.2% of MWCNTs, implying a superior viscoelasticity of polyurea nanocomposite films. The results were benchmarked with anti-corrosive polymer coatings from the literature, revealing that the production of nonporous polyurea coatings with robust strength, elasticity, and thermal properties was achieved. Electrospun polyurea coatings are promising candidates as flexible anti-corrosive coatings for heat exchanges and electrical wires.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.