Manufacture and characterization of silver and copper nanostructures produced via forcespun Nylon 6 nanofibers

Nylon 6 nanofibers were produced using the ForcespinningRTM method and were deposited with silver or copper thin films using the high vacuum thermal evaporation technique for surface functionalization of nanostructures. The changes in surface composition, morphology and surface energy of native and metallic coated Nylon 6 nanofibers were examined. Their antibacterial properties of native, silver or copper coated Nylon 6 nanofibers were tested. Furthermore, the Nylon 6 nanofibers were used as templates in order to obtain silver or copper nanotubes where the polymer was removed after high temperature calcination. The metallic coated Nylon 6 nanofibers and metallic nanotubes morphology and electrical behavior are characterized using the SEM, STEM, XRD, EDS and electrical measurements.