Study on biomass based nanofibers preparation by electrospinning

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Lignin, a biomass-derived polymer, presents challenges in direct electrospinning due to its properties.
• Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is a common precursor for carbon nanofibers.
• Reducing the cost of biomass-based carbon nanofibers is an area of interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the electrospinnability of lignin by blending it with polyacrylonitrile (PAN).
• To investigate the effect of process parameters on the morphology of lignin-PAN nanofibers.
• To identify optimal conditions for producing high-quality lignin-based carbon nanofiber precursors.

Main Methods:

• Electrospinning of lignin-PAN solutions.
• Optimization of process parameters including flow rate, voltage, and lignin concentration.
• Morphological characterization of nanofibers using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Main Results:

• Blending lignin with PAN significantly improved electrospinnability, especially at low lignin concentrations.
• Process parameters (flow rate, voltage, concentration) were found to influence nanofiber morphology.
• Optimal parameters for ideal nanofibers were identified as 0.04 mm/h flow rate, 25 kV voltage, and 2 wt.% lignin.

Conclusions:

• The novel method of blending lignin with PAN is a promising technique for cost-effective production of biomass-based carbon nanofiber precursors.
• Optimized electrospinning conditions yield nanofibers with good morphology.
• This approach facilitates the utilization of lignin in advanced material applications.