The 13th Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials (PCM 2026)

Abstract: Stimulus-responsive fusion and fission phenomena are observed in both biological tissues and artificial materials. However, designing a precisely reversible fusion and fission system remains a great challenge. This report introduces the precisely reversible fusion and fission achieved by graphene oxide (GO)-based materials, along with the preparation of high-performance fibers based on this discovery. Upon dehydration, multiple GO materials fuse into a single ensemble through adaptive deformation-induced interfacial interlocking. Conversely, the ensemble precisely fissures back into the original multiple materials through rehydration-triggered interfacial repulsion. This precisely reversible fusion-fission property is extended to different traditional fibers (e.g., stainless steel wires, silks, nylon, basalt fibers, and glass fibers) and other materials (e.g., SiO2 nanoparticles, PVA, CNTs, and Na-MMT). Based on the discovery, high-performance graphene fibers and aramid fibers are prepared. The finding shows important applications in material structure customization, high-performance fiber preparation, advanced composite material design, and controllable biocatalysis.

Abstract: The strong carbon-fluorine (C–F) bonds in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) endow them with extreme environmental persistence, resulting in their accumulation in soil, water, and living organisms. This scenario calls for innovative, sustainable, effective, and feasible treatment approaches. Adsorption, degradation, and mineralization are the major strategies for PFAS removal from contaminated media. Among these, interfacial interactions, reduction, oxidation, photodegradation, and electrochemical degradation serve as the core principles and pathways underlying the aforementioned strategies. Given that reduction, oxidation, and even advanced oxidation only achieve partial degradation and mineralization of PFAS, these methods are suitable for wastewater treatment but not feasible for drinking water purification. This report focuses on feasible pathways for removing low-concentration PFAS from drinking water, namely the coupling of adsorption and mineralization on activated carbon-based composites. These composites include activated carbon-supported layered double hydroxides (LDHs), activated carbon-supported graphene, and fluorine/nitrogen (F/N) co-doped activated carbon composites. By enhancing interfacial interactions—such as van der Waals forces, electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonding, and F-F interactions—these adsorbents exhibit superior adsorption capacities for both long-chain and short-chain PFAS. Subsequently, most of the adsorbed PFAS can be thermally degraded and mineralized, accompanied by the regeneration of activated carbon-based composites and the catalytic effect of the supported active components. This strategy avoids the addition of chemicals and the generation of secondary oxidative free radicals in the treated water. Furthermore, the activated carbon can be regenerated and reused to reduce the cost and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the rational design of activated carbon-based composites is an effective route for the remediation of PFAS-contaminated media.