Abstract
Abstract Various aspects of electrospun fibers prepared from terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), hexafluoropropylene (HFP), and vinylidene fluoride (VDF) (THV)/acetone solutions at two applied voltages, THV/acetone solutions having Texas montmorillonite with two ratios, and THV/ethyl acetate solutions using two needle sizes are described. Fibers from THV/acetone and THV/ethyl acetate solutions showed shallow indentations and pores, respectively. The clay, functioning as electrospinning agent, did not influence the fiber morphology, but yielded narrower fiber diameter distribution and the thinnest fibers. Heterogeneous fiber diameter distribution and increase in the fiber diameters were observed by lowering the voltage for fibers of THV/acetone solutions. Fibers from THV/ethyl acetate solutions had the largest diameter and the broadest diameter distribution. Electrospun THV fibers having both hydrophobic characteristics with nearly 140° water contact angles and oleophilic properties with oil contact angles less than 45° might have applications in areas such as water/oil separation.
Highlights
Typical fluoropolymers including poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) and poly vinylidene fluoride (PVDF) have excellent properties of resistance to chemicals such as strong acids and bases, hydrophobicity, and low friction coefficient [1]
The diameter of the fibers prepared from wt% THV/acetone solutions by kV varied between 0.87 and 3.24 μm, while the diameter range of the fibers prepared by 19 kV became narrower and was between 0.40 and 2.60 μm
The fibers prepared from 15 wt% THV/ethyl acetate solutions had at least twofold thicker fibers than that prepared from 15 wt% THV/acetone solutions and were approximately threefold thicker than the fibers electrospun from clay added THV/acetone solutions
Summary
Typical fluoropolymers including poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) and poly vinylidene fluoride (PVDF) have excellent properties of resistance to chemicals such as strong acids and bases, hydrophobicity, and low friction coefficient [1]. Some of the fluoropolymers such as classical aromatic fluorinated poly(2,3,4,5,6-penta-fluorostyrene) are electrospinnable, where electrospinning parameters could change the morphology and hydrophobicity of the fibers [2]. The chemical stability of terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride (THV) (Figure 1) is comparable to that of PTFE [3]. Among different THV grades available, THV-221 G is soluble in some organic solvents such as acetone and ethyl acetate [4]. The solubility of THV-221 G in common organic solvents makes it an ideal fluoropolymer to test for fiber formation by electrospinning, an important task for fluoropolymers in terms of finding the most proper experimental conditions
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