Characterization of nonwoven material functionalized by sputter coating of copper

Nonwoven materials consisting of polymer fibers provide an excellent platform for the integration of functional structures to improve the performance of the materials for a variety of applications. In this study, the sputter coating of copper (Cu) was used to deposit functional nanostructures on the surfaces of polypropylene (PP) spunbonded nonwovens. The surface morphology, pore structures and electrical properties of the functionalized materials were examined using Atomic force microscope (AFM), Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM), capillary flow porometer and electrical resistance measurement. The observations by AFM revealed the formation of the functional nanostructures on the PP fibers. The ESEM examination confirmed the introduction of functional Cu nanostructures built on the PP fibers. It was also found that the pore structures and electrical properties of the material were also altered by the sputter coating of copper. The interfacial bonding between the sputtered clusters and the PP fibers was also observed in SEM and AFM.