Self-aligned and bundled electrospun fibers prepared from blends of polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with a hairy-rod polyphenylene copolymer

Uyar T., CIANGA I., CIANGA L., Besenbacher F., Yagci Y.

MATERIALS LETTERS, vol.63, pp.1638-1641, 2009 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 63
  • Publication Date: 2009
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.matlet.2009.04.039
  • Journal Name: MATERIALS LETTERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.1638-1641
  • Istanbul Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Bundled and self-aligned fibers were obtained by electrospinning blends of polystyrene (PS) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with a hairy-rod polyphenylene-g-polystyrene/poly(a-caprolactone) (PP-g-PS/PCL) copolymer. The self-alignment and bundling characteristics of these electrospun fibers were ascribed to the unique molecular architecture of the conjugated polymer. PP-g-PS/PCL, and its interactions with the solvent and the polymer matrixes used for the electrospinning. The self-alignment and bundling was found to be much more pronounced for PP-g-PS/PCL-PS blend when compared to PP-g-PS/PCL-PMMA blend. Furthermore we found that the degree of self-alignment of the fiber bundles was enhanced by increasing the amount of PP-g-PS/PCL in the blends but the alignment completely disappeared when the solvent dimethylformamide was changed to chloroform. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.