Using special Janus nanobelt as constitutional unit to construct anisotropic conductive array membrane for...

We have used electrospinning technology to fabricate a tri-functional nanobelt array membrane exhibiting tunable anisotropic electrical conduction, superparamagnetism and color-tunable luminescence by using a lab-made co-axis//single-axis spinneret and an aluminum drum collection device. Each one-dimensional (1D) Janus nanobelt is composed of luminescent-superparamagnetic bifunctional [Fe₃O₄/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)]@[Tb(BA)₃phen/Eu(BA)₃phen/PMMA] coaxial nanobelt and conducting polyaniline (PANI)/PMMA nanobelt. Moreover, all Janus nanobelts are aligned in the same manner to generate a two-dimensional (2D) array film. The conductance along the length is much stronger than the conductance in the width (two perpendicular directions). Therefore, the array membrane has excellent anisotropic electrical conduction. The conduction ratio reaches 10⁸ times between the length and width of the Janus nanobelt array membrane, which is the highest conduction ratio between the two perpendicular directions for nanobelt materials reported internationally. Furthermore, we can modulate the degree of electrically conducting anisotropy of the samples by varying the amount of PANI. In addition, the Janus nanobelt array membrane is concurrently endowed by superior and adjustable superparamagnetism and photoluminescence. Importantly, the innovative philosophy and manufacturing technique of the new Janus nanobelt array membrane provide an easy way to prepare multifunctional nano-membranes.