Three-dimensional carbon fiber electrodes prepared by electrospinning and solution blowing are shown to be excellent electrode materials for bioelectrochemical systems such as microbial fuel cells or microbial electrolysis cells. The bioelectrocatalytic anode current density is shown to reach values of up to 30 A m⁻², which represents the highest reported values for electroactive microbial biofilms.

Different techniques for encapsulating self-healing materials (liquid monomers) inside polymer fibers [polyacrylonitrile (PAN)] and amorphous turbostratic carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were explored. Two types of healing materials were used: dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and isophorone diisocyanate. To encapsulate the self-healing materials inside polymer nanofibers, coelectrospinning, emulsion electrospinning and emulsion solution blowing were used. The presence of self-healing materials inside polymer fibers was corroborated by using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and preferential imprinting of fluorescent dyes. Furthermore, fiber crush tests were used to validate the encapsulation of liquid self-healing agents. Proof-of-concept carbon-fiber–epoxy composites reinforced with ultrathin nanofibrous interlayers of the self-healing core–shell nanofibers were fabricated and the release of self-healing agents in the polymeric matrix was characterized. Consequently, the liquid monomers used for self-healing agents were also intercalated into CNTs using the self-sustained diffusion technique. The intercalated CNTs were studied using transmission electron microscopy, which proved the presence of self-healing materials inside the CNTs.