Electrospinning of Well-Aligned P(VDF-TrFE) Fibers Using a Benign Solvent

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) is an important piezoelectric polymer, often electrospun into fibrous membranes for technological applications. Typically, this involves toxic solvents, necessitating a compromise between solvent safety, process stability, and fiber quality. In this study, out of several candidates across different organic families, a safe and effective solvent is identified for electrospinning P(VDF-TrFE). The dual impact of solvent boiling point on process stability and fiber quality is studied, to arrive at a facile, consistent protocol for producing high-quality fibers. The health effects of the solvents are considered, as those posing minimal risks are favored in applications related to biomedicine, for example. Methyl propyl ketone (MPK) is found to be an ideal, non-toxic solvent, with an optimal evaporation rate at typical processing temperatures, to produce uniform, distinct and well-aligned electrospun P(VDF-TrFE) fibers. The impact of electrospinning process parameters is further investigated to optimize results using this solvent. Through the introduction of a benign and effective solvent for electrospinning, this work provides a detailed protocol to produce high-quality P(VDF-TrFE) fibers through a consistent and stable process, without involving toxic solvents, which opens up new possibilities in green electrospinning.