Production and characterization of polyamide-6 (PA6) and cellulose acetate (CA) based nanofiber membranes by electrospinning method

Abstract

Recently, one of the most important nanotechnology products developed is nanostructured membranes. This study aims to produce nanofiber membranes to be used as filter material by electrospinning method from Polyamide-6 (PA6)/Cellulose Acetate (CA) polymer mixtures prepared in different mixing ratios (100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, 50/50). In the study, firstly, preliminary experiments were carried out to determine the optimum electrospinning process parameters for the production of nanofiber membranes from these PA6/CA polymer mixtures. Then, solutions were prepared from these polymer mixtures and nanofiber membranes were produced from these prepared solutions by electrospinning method. Finally; density, electrical conductivity and viscosity measurements of PA6/CA solutions and FTIR, SEM, thickness and strength tests of nanofiber membranes were performed. In addition, the average nanofiber diameters of membranes were calculated. It has been determined that the average diameter of the nanofibers in the structure of membranes produced by electrospinning method is between 150 – 300 nm. From the characteristic peak bands obtained as a result of the FTIR analysis, it was determined that the PA6/CA structure was intact in the nanofiber material. In addition, it was determined that smooth and very fine nanofibers were formed in the materials produced from SEM images. It was observed that the conductivity of the solution decreased with the increase of the CA mixing ratio in the PA6/CA polymer solution and accordingly the fiber diameter became thinner