Nanocrystalline cellulose as a reinforcing agent for electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers

Publication date: Available online 13 October 2018

Source: Journal of Oral Biosciences

Author(s): Bernardo Urbanetto Peres, Hugo Alberto Vidotti, Luana Dutra de Carvalho, Adriana Pigozzo Manso, Frank Ko, Ricardo Marins Carvalho

Abstract

Objectives

Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) is a sustainable material with excellent mechanical properties and can potentially be used as a reinforcement agent. The objective of this work was to test the effects of NCC incorporation on the mechanical properties of electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers.

Methods

Eleven percent in weight of PAN (molecular weight 150 kD) in a dimethylformamide (DMF) solution was electrospun at 14.6 kV. Nonfunctionalized NCC was added to the solution at 1%, 2%, or 3 wt% (NCC/PAN). Suspensions were mixed and sonicated for 2 h before spinning. Strips (5 × 0.5 cm) were cut from the spun mat, parallel and perpendicular to the rotational direction of the fiber collection drum. Tensile tests were performed, and ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS; 0.3%), elastic modulus (E), and elongation at maximum stress (EMS, %) were calculated from stress–strain plots. Data were analyzed by multiple t tests and one-way ANOVA (α = 0.05).

Results

Among all groups, samples with 3 wt % NCC loading had significantly superior mechanical properties. The fiber mats showed anisotropic behavior.

Conclusions

Regardless of concentration, the addition of NCC resulted in increased UTS, E, and YS of the nanofibers.

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