Application of the melt-blown technique in the production of shape-memory nonwoven fabrics from a blend of poly(L-lactide) and atactic poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxy butyrate]

Abstract

Shape-memory materials have recently gained significant attention from scientists and industries around the world. Their useful properties and ability to change their shape when triggered by different stimuli have encouraged researchers to develop this area of science. The examinations conducted herein concern a nonwoven material with thermally induced shape-memory properties, produced by the melt-blown technique. The subject of the research was a nonwoven fabric made from biodegradable poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) blended with atactic polyhydroxybutyrate (a-PHB). The main aim of the presented research was to determine the technological parameters of the melt-blown process and investigate the shape fixing and recovery mechanisms in the obtained material. Thermal, mechanical, and structural analyses were conducted to describe the properties of the smart fabric. The results obtained for the nonwoven fabric produced under specific conditions and selected process parameters showed that it possesses a controllable, thermally induced shape-memory effect. Shape-memory textiles have great potential for diverse applications, in particular in medical science.