Hybrid electrospun nanofibrous membranes: Influence of layer arrangement and composition ratio on tensile and transport properties

Abstract

The present research aimed to investigate the influence of layer arrangement and composition ratio on tensile and transport properties in bi-constituent electrospun nanofibrous membranes composed of polyurethane nanofibers with a hydrophobic nature and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) with a hydrophilic nature. Different hybrid electrospun nanofibrous membranes were produced based on different layer arrangement and composition ratios. To evaluate the membrane performance, their tensile strength, wind, and waterproof performance were measured. By adding 50% poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) to polyurethane, the pore size of the hybrid electrospun nanofibrous membranes decreased by 47.64%. As a result, compared with pristine polyurethane membranes, hybrid electrospun nanofibrous membranes showed a good (9.6 mm s−1) windproof performance. Adding poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) nanofibers to the polyurethane resulted in a decrease in mechanical properties and waterproof performance. The results show that the volume fraction of the poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) and the electrospinning scenarios have a great influence on the mechanical properties of the samples. The results also show that the mechanical properties of hybrid electrospun nanofibrous membranes can be predicted based on the geometrical properties of each component. Computational fluid dynamics were used to simulate air flow through a virtual medium and the results of simulation were compared with the experimental measurement and predicted permeability; then, the best models for predicting air permeability were determined. In addition, based on different types of use, duration of use, and relative humidity level, a bi-functional membrane can be obtained by regulating layer arrangement and composition ratios to suit various applications, for example, in medical disposable clothing, wound dressing, filtering industries, and protective clothing.

Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes with Various Structures for Wound Dressing

“…The nanofibers collected through a flat plate collector are generally randomly oriented, caused by the irregular movement of charged jets. However, randomly arranged NFMs have relatively poor mechanical properties, and increasing the orientation of nanofibers is an effective strategy for improving the mechanical properties of NFMs [161,162]. Mean-while, the influence of nanofiber arrangement on cell migration and phenotypic expression has also been widely reported [163,164], which shows great potential in wound healing.…”

A review on emerging developments in thermal and moisture management by membrane‐based clothing systems towards personal comfort

“…Using a mix or hybrid design of polymers with opposite properties is one of the strategies considered by researchers for developing WBMs. 129,130 We used PU as a hydrophobic polymer with desirable mechanical performance and PAMPS as a super hydrophilic hydrogel in the blend 131,132 and hybrid geometry 133,134 to fabricate WBMs for environments with different relative humidities. WBMs with hydrostatic pressure and WVTR as high as 140 kPa and 11.3 kg m À2 day À1 , respectively, was fabricated by Cui et al 135 They created a multilevel porous structure via F I G U R E 8 Schematically illustration of the fabrication of water/ oil/dust-resistant breathable membranes.…”