Effect of Polymer Molecular Weight on the Electrospinning of Polylactides in Entangled and Aligned Fiber Forms

Abstract

Thin fibers having diameters ranging from 25 nm to 2 µm were successfully electrospun from solutions of polylactides (PLA) having different molecular weights both in entangled and aligned fiber forms. The latter aligned fibers were collected with a new target comprising a rotor around which several fins were attached. Low viscosity of the solutions resulted in formation of beads or beads-on-strings, while high viscosity gave homogeneous fibers at optimum conditions. The resultant aligned fibers were drawn to 2 -3 times at various optimum temperatures. WAXD of the drawn fibers revealed smectic nature of the PLA chain arrangement in spite of crystal orientation supported. The mechanical properties of the PLA fibers were also improved after drawing.

Bacteriostatic Behavior of PLA-BaTiO3 Composite Fibers Synthesized by Centrifugal Spinning and Subjected to Aging Test

“…The reason can be identified in the high viscosity by adding BT particles (as seen in the previous study). This has also been demonstrated by Afifi et al; their results analyzing different solutions of PLA showed how the increasing of the viscosity led to the formation of homogeneously aligned fibers avoiding the formation of beads [39]. Also, other researchers confirmed how this parameter plays an important effect in the formation of fibers having an ordered pattern [40][41][42].…”

Elastic sheath–liquid crystal core fibres achieved by microfluidic wet spinning

“…The strategy of selecting polymers with longer chains, when possible, is similar to the case in electrospinning and other fibre spinning techniques, where the use of high-mass polymers can improve the spinning process. 33 The higher molar mass is why we prefer to produce fibres from PI, which will be the primary material used in the fibres presented in this article.…”

Electrospun Antibacterial Nanomaterials for Wound Dressings Applications

“…Solution conductivity is also linked to the voltage and effect on fiber diameter; the high solution conductivity results from thin fibers [26,27]. The molecular weight is linked to viscosity, surface tension, and conductivity, which affects fiber diameter; if it is low, bead structures form [28,29]. The applied voltage is linked to the tip-to-collector distance, conductivity, and feed rate.…”