Bacterial cellulose (BC) fibers are chemically functionalized with poly(4-vinylaniline) (PVAN) interlayer for further enhancement of electrical conductivity and cell viability of polyaniline (PANI) coated BC nanocomposites. PVAN is found to have promoted the formation of a uniform PANI layer with nanofiber- and nanorod-like supramolecular structures, as an overall augmentation of PANI yield. Compositional and microstructural analysis indicates a PVAN/PANI bilayer of approximately 2 μm formed on BC. The solid-state electrical conductivity of such synthesized BC nanocomposites can be as high as (4.5 ± 1.7) × 10-2 S cm-1 subject to the amounts of PVAN chemically embraced. BC/PVAN/PANI nanocomposites are confirmed to be thermally stable up to 225 °C, and no signs of cytotoxicity for SVZ neural stem cells are detected, with cell viability up to 90% on BC/PVAN/PANI membranes. We envisage these new electrically conductive BC/PVAN/PANI nanocomposites can potentially enable various biomedical applications, such as for the fabrication of bioelectronic interfaces and biosensors.

In this work, SAC305 lead-free solder reinforced with 0.1 wt. % fullerene nanoparticles was prepared using a powder metallurgy method. A lab-made setup and a corresponding Cu/solder/Cu sample for thermo-migration (TM) test were designed and implemented. The feasibility of this setup for TM stressing was further verified with experimental and simulation methods; a temperature gradient in a solder seam was calculated as 1070 K/cm. Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of both plain and composite solder alloys were then studied under the condition of TM stressing. It was shown that compared to unreinforced SAC305 solder, the process of diffusion of Cu atoms in the composite solder seam was remarkably suppressed. After the TM test for 600 h, Cu/solder interfaces in the composite solder seam were more stable and the inner structure remained more intact. Moreover, the addition of fullerene reinforcement can considerably affect a distribution of Cu₆Sn₅ formed as a result of dissolution of Cu atoms during the TM test. Hardness data across the solder seam were also found notably different because of the elemental redistribution caused by TM.