Functional Properties of Electrospun Polymer Mats Coated With SWCNTs by a Simultaneous Electrospraying Process

Abstract

An one-step procedure of simultaneous electrospraying and electrospinning is employed to produce fiber mats of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blend and polylactide (PLA) coated with singlewalled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Thermoelectric investigation of the mats yielded Seebeck coefficients of 21–27 µV·K?1 that are almost independent of the SWCNT content and the polymer type. Control measurements using SWCNT buckypapers reveals that the thermoelectric properties of the SWCNTs is mostly determined by n-type doping effect of the solvents and additives used for electrospraying; the polymer nanofibers act mostly as porous mechanical support. Gas sensing experiments using PVDF/TPU and PLA-based electrospun mats containing 0.25 wt% SWCNTs exposed to saturated acetone vapor demonstrate a significant sensor response (change in resistance) for both polymers. Sensor recovery is more effective in the PLA-based mats compared to the PVDF-based one. In cyclic tests with short exposure times, both mats show highly stable and reproducible sensing behavior. The sensing mechanism is primarily driven by interactions between the solvent molecules and the SWCNTs (charge transfer) rather than by interactions with the polymer matrix (e.g., polymer swelling). © 2026 The Author(s). Macromolecular Materials and Engineering published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.