Functionalization of polyamide 6 nanofibers by electroless deposition of copper

Polyamide 6 (PA6) nanofibers were prepared via electrospinning. The electrospun PA6 nanofibers were functionalized using electroless deposition technique. Oxygen low temperature plasma treatment was applied to substitute the conventional roughening process using concentrated sulfuric acid-potassium dichromate. The deposition of copper (Cu) on the PA6 nanofibers was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The observations revealed the uniform coating of the PA6 nanofibers with thin films of Cu. It was also found that the surface conductivity of the PA6 nanofibers was significantly improved by the Cu deposition. The combination of electrospinning and electroless deposition will provide a new approach to producing the functional nanofibers for various applications.