Multifunctional Alginate Composite Fibers Based on Pre-Crosslinked Spinning Solutions

Because the environmental pollution arising from microplastics and carbon emissions continues to intensify, biodegradable alginate fibers have become green candidates to relieve the environmental crisis. However, the facile fabrication of alginate fibers with excellent mechanical strength and specific functionalities remains challenging. This study incorporates titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles into pre-crosslinked sodium alginate (SA) spinning solutions to fabricate multifunctional alginate composite fibers by a one-step wet-spinning strategy. Due to the pre-crosslinking of calcium ions (Ca2+), the spinning solution shows favorable rheological performance for wet spinning, ensuring the continuous fabrication of the fibers. By optimizing the TiO2 content, SA/TiO2 composite fibers exhibit oriented and uniform morphology, as well as enhanced mechanical performance (breaking stress of 400 MPa and Young’s modulus of 17.2 GPa). The incorporation of TiO2 also endows the fibers with excellent formaldehyde degradation and quick self-extinguished capacity, expanding their applications in formaldehyde-removal and flame-retardant textiles.