Abstract
Sub-microfibers and nanofibers produce more breathable fabrics than coarse fibers and are therefore widely used in the textiles industry. They are prepared by electrospinning using a polymer solution or melt. Solution electrospinning produces finer fibers but requires toxic solvents. Melt electrospinning is more environmentally friendly, but is also technically challenging due to the low electrical conductivity and high viscosity of the polymer melt. Here we describe the use of colorants as additives to improve the electrical conductivity of polylactic acid (PLA). The addition of colorants increased the viscosity of the melt by >100%, but reduced the electrical resistance by >80% compared to pure PLA (5 GΩ). The lowest electrical resistance of 50 MΩ was achieved using a composite containing 3% (w/w) indigo. However, the thinnest fibers (52.5 µm, 53% thinner than pure PLA fibers) were obtained by adding 1% (w/w) alizarin. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that fibers containing indigo featured polymer aggregates that inhibited electrical conductivity, and thus increased the fiber diameter. With further improvements to avoid aggregation, the proposed melt electrospinning process could complement or even replace industrial solution electrospinning and dyeing.
Highlights
Electrospinning is a widely-used method for the production of microscale and nanoscale fibers, with multiple applications in the field of nanotechnology [1,2,3]
The two main forms of electrospinning are solution electrospinning, in which fibers are produced by evaporating a solvent, and melt electrospinning, in which fibers are drawn from a polymer melt [15]
When the electrostatic repulsive force of the surface charges overcomes the surface tension, a charged liquid jet is ejected from the tip of the Taylor cone, and the charge density on the jet interacts with the external field to create an instability that stretches the fiber, allowing it to be deposited on the collector as a nonwoven fabric [1,14,15]
Summary
Electrospinning is a widely-used method for the production of microscale and nanoscale fibers, with multiple applications in the field of nanotechnology [1,2,3]. The two main forms of electrospinning are solution electrospinning, in which fibers are produced by evaporating a solvent, and melt electrospinning, in which fibers are drawn from a polymer melt [15] Both processes are based on the same principle, in which a potential difference is established between the end of a needle capillary and a collector. When the electrostatic repulsive force of the surface charges overcomes the surface tension, a charged liquid jet is ejected from the tip of the Taylor cone, and the charge density on the jet interacts with the external field to create an instability that stretches the fiber, allowing it to be deposited on the collector as a nonwoven fabric [1,14,15]
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