On February 28th, the Biomimetic Intelligence Research Team at Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University published a research paper titled "Powder Material Fibrousization" in the journal Nature Materials. The study unveiled a breakthrough in powder material non-destructive forming technology, establishing a universal, robust, and non-destructive micro-nano fiber bridge between primary particles and macro applications.
Flowchart of the General Powder Fibration Process (Illustrated by Hanwei Wang)
Powder, as an assembly of discrete units, possesses infinite nanostructures and application possibilities, dominating as a primary material in both industrial and laboratory settings. To render powder usable, it must be processed into certain macroscopic geometrical shapes, such as blocks, threads, or films, to acquire structural mechanical properties. Currently, processes such as sintering, molding, pressing, extrusion, and coating are mature technologies for shaping powder into various macroscopic materials.
Due to particle aggregation and modification during processing, as well as damage to delicate structures, the original nanostructure of powder particles generally disappears in the final material, regardless of how perfectly the powder is designed. As modern technology enters the nano era, remarkable effects occur when traditional materials shrink to the nano scale. However, current processing techniques rarely preserve these carefully designed nano effects in the final material.
Although processing powder into macroscopic materials with rich structures and functional possibilities has immeasurable scientific significance and application value, traditional processing techniques cannot easily achieve this. Based on this, a research team at Zhejiang A&F University has developed a universal fibration method using two-dimensional cellulose as a medium to process various powder materials into micro/nanofibers. This process provides structural support for particles while retaining the characteristics and structures of the powder itself.
The research found that cellulose shrinks and curls into fibers driven by self-shrinkage force, preventing particle aggregation and structural damage. This research technology can create a library of fiber-like components for macroscopic materials, providing a rich material platform and infinite possibilities for basic research and technological applications in fields such as medical, environmental, protective, catalytic, energy-related, aerospace, optoelectronic materials, food engineering, and daily necessities manufacturing.
Related Paper Information:
