Abstract
New methods are needed to reprocess the excess of plastics in the waste stream. In this work, bottle-grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Styrofoam, and polycarbonate from compact discs (CDs) were spun into nanofibers as fine as ca. 100 nm in diameter using the electrospinning technique. The mechanical properties of the fibers were evaluated using microtensile testing. The elastic moduli ranged from 15 to 60 MPa, and displayed stiffnesses comparable or greater than fibers made from commercial polymers of equivalent molecular weight. Nanofibers were also prepared from blends of Styrofoam and recycled polycarbonate. Recycled PET fibers were tested for application in water filtration and had greater than 99% filtration efficiency of 1 μm particles. Nanofibers from both pure and mixed waste streams are expected to have applications in myriad areas such as ultra/microfiltration, composites, and tissue engineering.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
