Electrospun PMMA polymer blend nanofibrous membrane: electrospinability, surface morphology and mechanical response
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2018
Abstract
The present work focuses on the electrospinning ability, the evaluation of resulting surface morphology and mechanical response of PMMA polymer blend nanofibrous membranes. For this purpose, electrospinning ability of PMMA polymer blend is firstly investigated by exploring various set of electrospinning parameters. From the evaluation of surface morphology of the resulting electrospun membranes, the optimum parameters are identified. Using these optimum parameters, tensile specimens are subsequently produced. Three deformation modes are considered: monotonic tensile test, cyclic test with increasing maximum strain and cyclic-relaxation test. Morphological analysis shows that the optimized tensile specimens are initially isotropic on the plane. The mechanical test results highlight the strong inelastic responses of the materials, which include inelastic strain and time-dependent behavior characterized by stress relaxation. Finally, in situ tensile test outcomes suggest that strain-induced fiber re-orientation took place.
Keywords
electrospinning, isotropic nanofibrous membrane, mechanical properties, PMMA, surface morphology
Divisions
fac_eng
Funders
University of Malaya under the University of Malaya Research Grant (UMRG) fund (Grant No. RP034C-15AET and RP034E-15AET),Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) fund (Grant No. FP048-2013B),Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia through High Impact Research Grant (Grant No. D000008-16001) and from Embassy of France in Malaysia
Publication Title
Materials Research Express
Volume
5
Issue
6
Publisher
IOP Publishing