Abstract
Polypropylene (PP) fibers are employed commonly as the raw material of technical textiles (nonwovens), and the research focuses on fine-denier fibers and their functionalities. In this work, antibacterial PP masterbatches with different dosage (1–5 wt.%) of nano-ZnO particles as the antibacterial agent were prepared via a twin-screw extruder. The as-prepared PP masterbatches were electrospun on a home-made electrospinning device to afford ultra-fine PP fibers. The morphologies of as-spun ultrathin PP fibers with 16 μm of average diameter were observed by SEM. The structure and element distribution were characterized by means of energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier-transfer infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. There was some zinc obviously distributed on the surface when a dosage of ZnO more than 1 wt.% was used, which contributed to the antibacterial activity. The crystallinity of PP fibers was not affected strongly by the dosage of ZnO based on the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) heating curves, while thermal decomposition improved with the increase in ZnO content, and the mechanical strength decreased predictably with the increase in inorganic ZnO content.
Highlights
Polypropylene (PP) is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic organic polymer with chemical resistance, electrical insulation, high-strength mechanical properties, and good wear-resistant processing performance
Based on the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) heating curves, while thermal decomposition improved with the increase in ZnO content, and the mechanical strength decreased predictably with the increase in inorganic ZnO content
Nanoparticles had obvious inhibition zones, i.e., an antibacterial effect, which was attributed to the nano ZnO particles migrating to the surface of the fibers
Summary
Polypropylene (PP) is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic organic polymer with chemical resistance, electrical insulation, high-strength mechanical properties, and good wear-resistant processing performance. Polymers 2020, 12, 606 solventless e-spinning were developed, in which some liquid materials sensitive to light [11], heat [12], or moisture [13] are used as precursors, while the jets are initiated under these corresponding conditions to solidify quickly into fibers. These methods need more complicated devices to provide steady initiating conditions. A series of ultra-fine PP fibers with different proportions of nano-ZnO were afforded by melt e-spinning, and the morphology, structure, and mechanical and thermal properties of the fibers were analyzed. The obtained fibers have promising application in the field of hygienic textiles
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