scholarly journals Well-Blended PCL/PEO Electrospun Nanofibers with Functional Properties Enhanced by Plasma Processing

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1403
Author(s):  
Vojtěch Kupka ◽  
Eva Dvořáková ◽  
Anton Manakhov ◽  
Miroslav Michlíček ◽  
Josef Petruš ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Hydrolytic Stability ◽  
Electrospun Nanofibers ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Plasma Polymer ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Polymer Thin Film ◽  
Biodegradable Composite ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Poly Ethylene

Biodegradable composite nanofibers were electrospun from poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) mixtures dissolved in acetic and formic acids. The variation of PCL:PEO concentration in the polymer blend, from 5:95 to 75:25, revealed the tunability of the hydrolytic stability and mechanical properties of the nanofibrous mats. The degradation rate of PCL/PEO nanofibers can be increased compared to pure PCL, and the mechanical properties can be improved compared to pure PEO. Although PCL and PEO have been previously reported as immiscible, the electrospinning into nanofibers having restricted dimensions (250–450 nm) led to a microscopically mixed PCL/PEO blend. However, the hydrolytic stability and tensile tests revealed the segregation of PCL into few-nanometers-thin fibrils in the PEO matrix of each nanofiber. A synergy phenomenon of increased stiffness appeared for the high concentration of PCL in PCL/PEO nanofibrous mats. The pure PCL and PEO mats had a Young’s modulus of about 12 MPa, but the mats made of high concentration PCL in PCL/PEO solution exhibited 2.5-fold higher values. The increase in the PEO content led to faster degradation of mats in water and up to a 20-fold decrease in the nanofibers’ ductility. The surface of the PCL/PEO nanofibers was functionalized by an amine plasma polymer thin film that is known to increase the hydrophilicity and attach proteins efficiently to the surface. The combination of different PCL/PEO blends and amine plasma polymer coating enabled us to tune the surface functionality, the hydrolytic stability, and the mechanical properties of biodegradable nanofibrous mats.

Influence of lignin modification on the mechanical properties of lignin/PEO blends

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 762-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stavros C. Anagnou ◽  
Eleni G. Milioni ◽  
Costas S. Mpalias ◽  
Ioannis A. Kartsonakis ◽  
Elias P. Koumoulos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Mechanical And Thermal Properties ◽  
Thermal And Mechanical Properties ◽  
Scanning Calorimetry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Poly Ethylene ◽  
Modified Lignin ◽  
Softwood Kraft Lignin

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the investigation of mechanical and thermal properties of lignin/poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) blends, intended to be used as carbon fiber precursor. Design/methodology/approach Softwood kraft lignin was modified via esterification using phthalic anhydride and then blended with PEO. The final lignin/PEO ratios blends were (w/w) 20/80, 50/50 and 80/20 for both unmodified and modified lignin. The structural, thermal and mechanical properties of the blends were investigated by Fourier transform infrared, differential scanning calorimetry and tensile tests, respectively. Findings The results revealed that modified lignin/PEO blend (20/80) exhibited enhanced elongation. Originality/value The structural analysis as well as thermal and mechanical properties of the produced blends are clearly demonstrated.

Effect of High Salt Concentration on Ion Clustering and Transport in Polymer Solid Electrolytes: a Molecular Dynamics Study of PEO-LiTFSI

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Molinari ◽  
Jonathan P. Mailoa ◽  
Boris Kozinsky
Keyword(s):  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Salt Concentration ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Material System ◽  
Ion Dynamics ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Anion Clusters ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Poly Ethylene

<div> <div> <div> <p>The model and analysis methods developed in this work are generally applicable to any polymer electrolyte/cation-anion combination, but we focus on the currently most prominent polymer electrolyte material system: poly(ethylene) oxide/Li- bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonamide (PEO + LiTFSI). The obtained results are surprising and challenge the conventional understanding of ionic transport in polymer electrolytes: the investigation of a technologically relevant salt concentration range (1 - 4 M) revealed the central role of the anion in coordinating and hindering Li ion movement. Our results provide insights into correlated ion dynamics, at the same time enabling rational design of better PEO-based electrolytes. In particular, we report the following novel observations. 1. Strong binding of the Li cation with the polymer competes with significant correlation of the cation with the salt anion. 2. The appearance of cation-anion clusters, especially at high concentration. 3. The asymmetry in the composition (and therefore charge) of such clusters; specifically, we find the tendency for clusters to have a higher number of anions than cations.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Effect of High Salt Concentration on Ion Clustering and Transport in Polymer Solid Electrolytes: a Molecular Dynamics Study of PEO-LiTFSI

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Molinari ◽  
Jonathan P. Mailoa ◽  
Boris Kozinsky
Keyword(s):  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Salt Concentration ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Material System ◽  
Ion Dynamics ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Anion Clusters ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Poly Ethylene

<div> <div> <div> <p>The model and analysis methods developed in this work are generally applicable to any polymer electrolyte/cation-anion combination, but we focus on the currently most prominent polymer electrolyte material system: poly(ethylene) oxide/Li- bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonamide (PEO + LiTFSI). The obtained results are surprising and challenge the conventional understanding of ionic transport in polymer electrolytes: the investigation of a technologically relevant salt concentration range (1 - 4 M) revealed the central role of the anion in coordinating and hindering Li ion movement. Our results provide insights into correlated ion dynamics, at the same time enabling rational design of better PEO-based electrolytes. In particular, we report the following novel observations. 1. Strong binding of the Li cation with the polymer competes with significant correlation of the cation with the salt anion. 2. The appearance of cation-anion clusters, especially at high concentration. 3. The asymmetry in the composition (and therefore charge) of such clusters; specifically, we find the tendency for clusters to have a higher number of anions than cations.</p> </div> </div> </div>

scholarly journals Block copolymer compatibilization driven frustrated crystallization in electrospun nanofibers of polystyrene/poly(ethylene oxide) blends

RSC Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (32) ◽  
pp. 17989-18007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pratick Samanta ◽  
Rajiv Srivastava ◽  
Bhanu Nandan
Keyword(s):  
Block Copolymer ◽  
Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Electrospun Nanofibers ◽  
Crystallization Behaviour ◽  
Confined Crystallization ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Poly Ethylene

Confined crystallization behaviour of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was studied in electrospun nanofibers of the phase-separated blends of polystyrene (PS) and PEO compatibilized with polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) block copolymer.

Photo-crosslinking of chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) electrospun nanofibers

2019 ◽  
Vol 217 ◽  
pp. 144-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parnian Kianfar ◽  
Alessandra Vitale ◽  
Sara Dalle Vacche ◽  
Roberta Bongiovanni
Keyword(s):  
Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Electrospun Nanofibers ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Poly Ethylene

scholarly journals Electrospun Alginate Fibers: Mixing of Two Different Poly(ethylene oxide) Grades to Improve Fiber Functional Properties

Nanomaterials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Vigani ◽  
Silvia Rossi ◽  
Giulia Milanesi ◽  
Maria Bonferoni ◽  
Giuseppina Sandri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Electrospinning Process ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
Fiber Morphology ◽  
Chain Entanglement ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Alginate Fibers ◽  
Poly Ethylene ◽  
Morphology And Mechanical Properties

The aim of the present work was to investigate how the molecular weight (MW) of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), a synthetic polymer able to improve alginate (ALG) electrospinnability, could affect ALG-based fiber morphology and mechanical properties. Two PEO grades, having different MWs (high, h-PEO, and low, l-PEO) were blended with ALG: the concentrations of both PEOs in each mixture were defined so that each h-PEO/l-PEO combination would show the same viscosity at high shear rate. Seven ALG/h-PEO/l-PEO mixtures were prepared and characterized in terms of viscoelasticity and conductivity and, for each mixture, a complex parameter rH/rL was calculated to better identify which of the two PEO grades prevails over the other in terms of exceeding the critical entanglement concentration. Thereafter, each mixture was electrospun by varying the process parameters; the fiber morphology and mechanical properties were evaluated. Finally, viscoelastic measurements were performed to verify the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the two PEO grades and ALG. rH/rL has been proved to be the parameter that better explains the effect of the electrospinning conditions on fiber dimension. The addition of a small amount of h-PEO to l-PEO was responsible for a significant increase in fiber mechanical resistance, without affecting the nano-scale fiber size. Moreover, the mixing of h-PEO and l-PEO improved the interaction with ALG, resulting in an increase in chain entanglement degree that is functional in the electrospinning process.

Improvement of the mechanical properties of chitosan films by the addition of poly(ethylene oxide)

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 1211-1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. L. Alexeev ◽  
E. A. Kelberg ◽  
G. A. Evmenenko ◽  
S. V. Bronnikov
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Poly Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Chitosan Films ◽  
Poly Ethylene
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