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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
Vapor Phase Deposition of Electroactive Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) onto Electrospun Commodity Polymer Nanofibers
Published on: March 7, 2025
Surface chemistry of electrospun cellulose nitrate nanofiber membranes
Steven Nartker1, Per Askeland, Sara Wiederoder
1Michigan State University, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Composite Materials and Structures Center, 2100 Engineering Building, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Abstract:
Electrospinning is a rapidly developing technology that provides a unique way to produce novel polymer nanofibers with controllable diameters. Cellulose nitrate non-woven mats of submicron-sized fibers with diameters of 100-1200 nm were prepared. The effects of processing equipment collector design void gap, and steel drum coated with polyvinylidene dichloride (PVDC) were investigated. The PVDC layer applied to the rotating drum aided in fiber harvesting. Electron microscopy (FESEM and ESEM) studies of as-spun fibers revealed that the morphology of cellulose nitrate fibers depended on the collector type and solution viscosity. When a rotating steel drum was employed a random morphology was observed, while the void gap collector produced aligned fiber mats. Increases in viscosity lead to larger diameter fibers. The fibers collected were free from all residual solvents and could undergo oxygen plasma treatment to increase the hydropholicity.
