A novel fibrous material created by self-rolling of a patterned polymer thin film

A new kind of a fibrous material is produced by controlled self-rolling of patterned thin poly(4-vinyl)pyridine films in acidic water. Self-rolling is induced by unequal swelling of the top and the bottom layers of the films in the solvent. Rolling starts from parallel scratches in the film and results in twin-scroll fibers. The fibers are stabilized by staining with CuCl(2) salt and freeze-dried. The output of the fiber material production is of the order of 1 cm(3) from approximately 50 cm(2) of the patterned polymer film. The approach opens new broad opportunities for creation of smart fibrous materials via loading the fibers with functional micro- and nanoparticles.