We report the fabrication and evaluation of multifunctional nylon nanofibers and nanofibrous yarns containing mixed insect repellents and their efficacy against live insects. Electrospinning is used to fabricate nanofibers from multiple series of mixed insect repellent/nylon fiber composites, including mixtures of DEET, picaridin, and permethrin. Nonwoven, nanofibrous mats are manually twisted to form yarns ca. 150 µm in diameter. The repellents are shown to be dispersed within the polymer network in monofilament nanofibers observed using differential scanning calorimetry and their release profiles are characterized using Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Encapsulation of repellent within the polymer matrix is shown to significantly increase its lifetime when compared to direct application. The durability of the nanofibrous yarns are evaluated using a simulated washing test and their mechanical properties (i.e. storage modulus, strength to break) are evaluated. The insect repellency of down selected candidates were assessed against live mosquitos using a push test method. We discuss the role of insect repellent efficacy, and durability of the nanofibrous yarns to determine the best candidates to transition to woven fabrics and textiles.

Evaluation of mixed-repellent-doped nylon nanofibers and nanofibrous yarns: Durability and live insect testing

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ACS Fall 2022

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