Reinforcement of styrene‐acrylonitrile polymer bulk with glass nanofibers to introduce photoluminescent bricks

Abstract

AbstractTransparent and mechanically reliable plastic was developed by reinforcing styrene‐acrylonitrile polymer (SAP) with electrospun glass nanofibers (EGN). The physical inclusion of strontium aluminate nanoparticles (SAN) produced long‐persistent photoluminescent and photochromic EGN@SAP bricks or smart windows. EGN were fabricated by electrospinning technique and incorporated as a toughening mediator into styrene‐acrylonitrile plastic to boost its mechanical properties. Transparency of EGN@SAP with the capacity to shift to green under ultraviolet (UV) illumination was verified using photoluminescence analysis and CIE Lab parameters. EGN@SAP with low content of SAN exhibited immediate reversibility of the photochromic feature, proving fluorescence emission. Afterglow emission from EGN@SAP embedded with high concentration of SAN persisted for longer time and was less easily reversed. After excitation at 365 nm, the emission peaked at 519 nm. Increasing the SAN content resulted in improved hydrophobicity and UV protection. Diameter measurements of SAN (6–14 nm) and EGN (75–300 nm) were taken utilizing transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. EGN and EGN@SAP bricks were analyzed for their morphological characteristics using a variety of analytical techniques. The scratch resistance of EGN@SAP bricks containing SAN was enhanced in comparison to SAN‐free EGN@SAP bricks.