Preparation of Magnetic Polylactic Acid Fiber Mats by Electrospinning

Abstract

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is blended with Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). A series of mixtures are converted to fibers via electrospinning at room temperature. The fiber diameter of PLA decreases on blending with PEG from 6 down to 3 micrometers and with PEG + MNPs down ca. 1 micrometer. The thermogravimetric study confirms the effect of blending, enhancing the stability on adding PEG to PLA. The magnetic properties of polymer fibers containing different concentrations of MNPs are studied by vibrating sample magnetometer. The fiber blends shows proportionally reduced saturation magnetization compared to pure magnetic nanoparticles. The MNPs –incorporated PLA-PEG nanocomposite mat show magnetization and therefore promise the possibility for temperature effects, such as hyperthermia treatment.