Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-24-2021
Publication Source
Polymers
Abstract
Lignin macromolecules are potential precursor materials for producing electrospun nanofibers for composite applications. However, little is known about the effect of lignin type and blend ratios with synthetic polymers. This study analyzed blends of poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl acrylate) (PAN-MA) with two types of commercially available lignin, low sulfonate (LSL) and alkali, kraft lignin (AL), in DMF solvent. The electrospinning and polymer blend solution conditions were optimized to produce thermally stable, smooth lignin-based nanofibers with total polymer content of up to 20 wt % in solution and a 50/50 blend weight ratio. Microscopy studies revealed that AL blends possess good solubility, miscibility, and dispersibility compared to LSL blends. Despite the lignin content or type, rheological studies demonstrated that PAN-MA concentration in solution dictated the blend’s viscosity. Smooth electrospun nanofibers were fabricated using AL depending upon the total polymer content and blend ratio. AL’s addition to PAN-MA did not affect the glass transition or degradation temperatures of the nanofibers compared to neat PAN-MA. We confirmed the presence of each lignin type within PAN-MA nanofibers through infrared spectroscopy. PAN-MA/AL nanofibers possessed similar morphological and thermal properties as PAN-MA; thus, these lignin-based nanofibers can replace PAN in future applications, including production of carbon fibers and supercapacitors.
ISBN/ISSN
2073-4360
Document Version
Published Version
Publisher
MDPI
Volume
13
Peer Reviewed
yes
Issue
7
Keywords
electrospinning, alkali, kraft lignin, low sulfonate lignin, poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl acrylate), nanofibers, modulated DSC, lignin-based nanofibers
eCommons Citation
Devadas, S.; Al-Ajrash, S.M.N.; Klosterman, D.A.; Crosson, K.M.; Crosson, G.S.; Vasquez, E.S. Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Poly(acrylonitrile-co-Methyl Acrylate)/Lignin Nanofibers: Effects of Lignin Type and Total Polymer Concentration. Polymers 2021, 13, 992. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13070992
COinS
Comments
Copyright © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13070992
Authors acknowledge the Chemical and Materials Engineering Department at the University of Dayton for providing access to research instrumentation. Funding for Open Access provided by the University of Dayton Open Access Fund.