Abstract
This article reports the production of electrospun fibers from blends of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) solutions. The produced fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). SEM images showed the reduction in fiber size with ENR content of up to 25% in the mixture PLA/ENR. FTIR analysis revealed a possible interaction between carboxylic group of PLA and epoxi group of ENR. Thermal analysis showed the increase of the crystallinity fraction with ENR content and a decrease in thermal stability of eletrospun mats with the addition of ENR. The dynamic mechanical properties showed an enhancement of the stiffness of PLA/ENR blends with the increase of ENR content, which can support the production of interesting materials for tissue engineering based on renewable and biocompatible polymers. The reported properties indicate the possibility to use such fiber mats as potential materials in tissue engineering.
Highlights
Electrospinning has been received considerable attention due to its high efficiency in producing nonwoven mats from fibers that are micro or sub-micron in diameter [1]-[3]
A new biomaterial based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) electrospun blends was obtained by electrospinning approach and the effect of ENR content on the blends was studied with the help of characterization techniques such as scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)
Elastomers may act as diluent agent on the crystallization process of poly by giving the extra mobility of its chains to form crystal. This is especially significant for electrospun samples during the fast solvent evaporation and polymer solidification, which favors the crystal growth formation and increasing in the degree of crystallinity. These results suggest that the blends started to crystallize at lower temperatures than neat PLA, which is an indication that the presence of ENR can act as nucleating agent on the crystallization of PLA [36] and indicates that ENR induced less perfect PLA crystals under the rate used in this heating process
Summary
Electrospinning has been received considerable attention due to its high efficiency in producing nonwoven mats from fibers that are micro or sub-micron in diameter [1]-[3]. This work reports the production of a new biomaterial based on electrospun PLA/NR blends which combine the properties of a very well-established polymer as PLA with those of NR, which has been cited as an interesting biomaterial due to its recently discovered biological properties [22] [23] In this approach, important properties of PLA as solubility in common solvents, biodegradability, good mechanical properties, and biocompatibility [24] [25] are combined with those of natural rubber (NR) as recently demonstrated applications in stimulating wound healing, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration [22] [23]. A new biomaterial based on PLA/ENR electrospun blends was obtained by electrospinning approach and the effect of ENR content on the blends was studied with the help of characterization techniques such as scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)
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