Structural and Morphological Characterization of Micro and Nanofibers Produced by Electrospinning and Solution Blow Spinning: A Comparative Study

Eliton S Medeiros,Luiz H C Mattoso,Juliano E Oliveira,William J Orts

doi:10.1155/2013/409572

Abstract

Nonwoven mats of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) were prepared at a nano- and submicron scale by solution blow spinning (SBS) and electrospinning in order to compare crystalline structure and morphology developed by both processes during fiber formation. Polymer solutions were characterized by rheometry and tensiometry. Spun fibers were characterized by several analytical steps. SEM analyses showed that both solution blow spun and electrospun fibers had similar morphology. Absence of residual solvents and characteristic infrared bands in the solution blow spun fibers for PLA, PCL, and PEO was confirmed by FTIR studies. XRD diffraction patterns for solution blow spun and electrospun mats revealed some differences related to distinct mechanisms of fiber formation developed by each process. Significant differences in thermal behavior by DSC were observed between cast films of PLA, PCL, and PEO and their corresponding spun nanofibers. Furthermore, the average contact angles for spun PLA and PCL were higher than for electrospun mats, whereas it was slightly lower for PEO. When comparing electrospun and solution blow spun fibers, it was possible to verify that fiber morphology and physical properties depended both on the spinning technique and type of polymer.

Highlights

Polymer fibers are used in a wide variety of applications ranging from scaffolding biomaterials, textiles, and sensors to composite reinforcement and filtration [1]
poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and PCL crystallization can be facilitated by chain stretching during fiber formation under solution blow spinning (SBS) and electrospinning, even after PEO and PCL are solidified
Electrospinning and solution blow spinning of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), PEO and PCL from solution yield fibers whose diameters range from the nanometer to the submicron scale

Summary

Introduction

Polymer fibers are used in a wide variety of applications ranging from scaffolding biomaterials, textiles, and sensors to composite reinforcement and filtration [1]. The preparation of nanofibers from these polymers for tissue engineering applications was recently reported in the literature [13] Another method of fiber production, known as solution blow spinning (SBS), was developed that is conceptually similar to electrospinning without the voltage requirement and retains elements of solution spinning. This method has been successfully used to produce microand nanofibers of polymers with diameters ranging from a few tenths of nanometers to several microns, depending

Objectives

Results

Conclusion