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Developing Electrospun Ethylcellulose Nanofibrous Webs: An Alternative Approach for Structuring Castor Oil
M Borrego1, J E Martín-Alfonso1, C Valencia1
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Campus de "El Carmen", University of Huelva, Chemical Product and Process Technology Research Center (Pro2TecS), 21071 Huelva, Spain.
ACS Applied Polymer Materials
|October 9, 2023
Summary
Electrospun ethylcellulose (EC) nanofibers effectively thicken vegetable oils, offering a novel, eco-friendly alternative to traditional oleogels. Fiber properties depend on EC concentration and molecular weight, impacting dispersion rheology.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Rheology
Background:
- Developing sustainable, functional natural polymer gel-like dispersions in oil is crucial for various applications.
- Ethylcellulose (EC) is a promising natural polymer for creating such dispersions.
- Traditional methods for oleogel formation often involve high temperatures, limiting their applicability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the manufacture of electrospun ethylcellulose (EC) nanofibrous webs.
- To evaluate the potential of these EC nanofiber webs for thickening vegetable oils.
- To understand the influence of EC properties and solvent systems on electrospinning and final dispersion characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning of ethylcellulose (EC) solutions in binary solvent systems.
- Characterization of EC nanofiber morphology and diameter.
- Rheological analysis of EC nanofiber dispersions in castor oil.
- Comparison with EC oleogels produced via thermogelation.
Main Results:
- Defect-free EC nanofibers were produced above a critical concentration (approx. 2.5 times the entanglement concentration, Ce).
- Fiber diameter increased with EC molecular weight (Mw) and concentration.
- Solvent system properties (dielectric constant, dipole moment) affected nanofiber web morphology.
- Nanofiber morphology significantly influenced the physical stabilization and rheological behavior (storage modulus, G') of the dispersions.
- Electrospun EC dispersions exhibited comparable or superior thermorheological and tribological properties to traditional EC oleogels.
Conclusions:
- Electrospinning provides an efficient method to create EC nanofiber webs for thickening vegetable oils.
- The study demonstrates a novel, eco-friendly approach to producing bio-based oleogel-like dispersions.
- These EC nanofiber dispersions show significant potential for applications in pharmaceuticals, food, and lubricants.
