Adv Polym Sci
DOI: 10.1007/12_2014_281
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014
Nanohybrid Materials by Electrospinning
Chiara Gualandi, Annamaria Celli, Andrea Zucchelli,
and Maria Letizia Focarete
Abstract Organic-inorganic hybrid nanofibers obtained by electrospinning tech-
nology have experienced a growing interest in the last decade thanks to the
versatility and the high productivity of the technique, compared to other technol-
ogies devoted to the fabrication of nanocomposites, and to the unique and numerous
features displayed by the produced nanomaterials. In this review, we classify and
highlight recent progress, as well as current issues, in the production of hybrid
nanofibers by electrospinning and their related applications. In particular, the
scientific literature has been classified by taking into account the different method-
ologies that have been developed to fabricate hybrid polymeric-inorganic
nanofibers by making use of electrospinning technology in combination with
additional specific synthetic and processing procedures. The following technolog-
ical and synthetic strategies have been discussed in detail: (1) electrospinning of
inorganic dispersions in polymer solutions, (2) post treatments of electrospun fibers,
(3) electrospinning combined with sol–gel processes, (4) electrospinning combined
with electrospraying, (5) coaxial electrospinning, and (6) electrospinning of hybrid
polymers. The huge number of different fiber morphologies, structures, and prop-
erties that can be achieved by electrospinning is impressive. The power of this
technology is even more evident if we take into account that innovative hybrid
C. Gualandi and M.L. Focarete (*)
Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126
Bologna, Italy
e-mail: marialetizia.focarete@unibo.it
A. Celli
Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of
Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131, Bologna, Italy
A. Zucchelli
Department of Industrial Engineering (DIN) and Advanced Mechanics and Materials –
Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research (AMM ICIR), University of Bologna Viale
Risorgimento 2, 40136, Bologna, Italy