Nanofibers have attracted extensive attention and been applied in various fields due to their high aspect ratio, high specific surface area, flexibility, structural abundance, . The electrospinning method is one of the most promising and effective ways to produce nanofibers. The electrospun nanofibers-based films and membranes have already been demonstrated to possess small pore sizes, larges specific surface area, and can be grafted with different functionalities to adapt to various purposes. The environmental applications of nanofibers are one of the essential application fields, and great achievements have been made in this field. To well summarize the development of nanofibers and their environmental applications, we review the nanofiber fabrication methods, advanced fiber structures, and their applications in the field of air filtration, heavy metal removal, and self-cleaning surface. We hope this review and summary can provide readers a comprehensive understanding of the structural design and environmental applications of electrospun nanofibers.

Tensile tests of Nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloys (SMA) embedded within carbon fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite (CFRP/PMC) laminates were evaluated with simultaneous monitoring of modal acoustic emissions (MAE). Three different layup configurations utilizing two different thin film adhesives were applied to bond the materials. Ultimate tensile strengths, strains, and moduli were obtained along with cumulative AE energy of events and specimen failure location. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the break areas of the specimens post-test. Microscopy was used to validate failure locations revealed from MAE analysis. 90° plies in the outer ply gave the strongest acoustic signals as well as the cleanest fracture of the specimens tested. Overlapping 0° ply layers surrounding the SMA was found to be the best scenario to prevent failure of the specimen itself.

Numerical simulations are presented of a recently developed test which creates multiple delaminations in a CFRP laminate specimen that grow and interact via transverse matrix cracks [1]. A novel shell element enriched with the Floating Node Method, and a damage algorithm based on the Virtual Crack Closure Technique, were used to successfully simulate the tests. Additionally, a 3D high mesh fidelity model based on cohesive zones and continuum damage mechanics was used to simulate the tests and act as a representative of other similar state-of-the-art high mesh fidelity modeling techniques to compare to the enriched shell element. The enriched shell and high mesh fidelity models had similar levels of accuracy and generally matched the experimental data. With runtimes of 36 minutes for the shell model and 55 hours for the high mesh fidelity model, the shell model is 92 times faster than the high-fidelity simulation.

Isolating and observing the damage mechanisms associated with low-velocity impact in composites using traditional experiments can be challenging, due to damage process complexity and high strain rates. In this work, a new test method is presented that provides a means to study, in detail, the interaction of common impact damage mechanisms, namely delamination, matrix cracking, and delamination-migration, in a context less challenging than a real impact event. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer specimens containing a thin insert in one region were loaded in a biaxial-bending state of deformation. As a result, three-dimensional damage processes, involving delaminations at no more than three different interfaces that interact with one another via transverse matrix cracks, were observed and documented using ultrasonic testing and x-ray computed tomography. The data generated by the test is intended for use in numerical model validation. Simulations of this test are included in Part II of this paper.

A numerical method was used to study the interaction between a crack and the filler phase in a particle-reinforced polymer composite. The simulation was achieved by implementing a progressive damage-and-failure material model and element-removal technique through finite element analysis, providing a framework for the quantitative prediction of the deformation and fracture response of the composite. The effect of an interphase on composite toughness was also studied. Results show that a thin and high strength interphase results in efficient stress transfer between particle and matrix and causes the crack to deflect and propagate within the matrix. Alternatively, a thick and low strength interphase results in crack propagation within the interphase layer, and crack blunting. Further analysis of the effect of volume fraction and particle-particle interactions on fracture toughness as well as prediction of the fracture toughness can also be achieved within this framework.