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Poly(glycolic acid) Nanofibers via Sea‐Island Melt‐Spinning
Author(s) -
Huang Wei,
Huang Xinxin,
Wang Peng,
Chen Peng
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.201800425
Subject(s) - materials science , nanofiber , spinning , composite material , melt spinning , compatibility (geochemistry) , dissolution , hydrothermal circulation , phase (matter) , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) nanofibers are prepared via the high‐speed sea‐island melt‐spinning process for the first time. Poly( l ‐lactide) (PLLA) is chosen as the matrix (the “sea” phase) because of its superior spinnability and compatibility with PGA. The process includes melt‐spinning of PLLA/PGA blends at 1.0–2.5 km min −1 , hot‐drawing of the as‐spun blend fibers (optional), and dissolving the PLLA phase in chloroform. At an optimal blend ratio, the process is readily conducted, producing ultrafine, uniform, and well‐aligned PGA nanofibers with high degrees of molecular orientation. Studies on morphology evolution of the blends reveal that the PGA phase presents initially as microgranules in the melt blends, breaks into nanogranules in the extruded filaments, and eventually deforms into nanofibers in the as‐spun and drawn fibers. The nanofibers show nearly constant diameters independent of take‐up speed, pointing to phase compatibility dominated mechanism which can be used to establish a viable and flexible production process.