High-Performance Aromatic Polyamide Nanofiber Papers with High Biomass Content Fabricated via a Bottom-Up Strategy

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Aramids are widely utilized in automotive, military, and aerospace industries due to their unique molecular chain architectures, which provide exceptional thermal stability, mechanical strength, and chemical resistance. However, these intrinsic properties lead to poor processability and limited integration with biobased materials. To advance aramids toward sustainable and carbon-neutral goals, this study develops polyamides with high biomass content by incorporating three distinct biobased monomers─isosorbide, adenine, and cytosine─along with the widely utilized biobased acyl chloride, 2,5-furandicarbonyl dichloride. These biobased monomers feature heterocyclic architectures that provide multiple hydrogen-bonding sites, thereby increasing interchain hydrogen-bonding density and enhancing the overall stability of the resulting materials. The polyamides are processed into aramid nanofibers (ANFs) via a rapid bottom-up strategy, ultimately forming fiber paper materials under a high-speed shear stress field. Among these biobased ANF papers, ANF2 (isosorbide-derived aramid) demonstrates impressive thermal and mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 205 MPa, a Young’s modulus of 13.3 GPa, a high degradation temperature of 403 °C, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion of 13.6 ppm/K. Notably, biobased ANFs can achieve high biomass content (53–75 wt %) without sacrificing thermal and mechanical properties. Furthermore, cellulose nanofiber-reinforced ANF papers promote elongation through robust hydrogen-bonding interactions with the ANFs, effectively reinforcing the matrix while preserving its sustainable, biobased characteristics. This research develops high-performance biobased aramid fiber papers without sacrificing their thermomechanical stability, offering a sustainable alternative for advanced industrial applications.