Title: PBSA/layered silicate nanocomposites and the role of nanoclay on their electrospun fibrous structure

Authors: Athanasia Tsimpliaraki, Stratis Svinterikos, Costas Panayiotou, Sotirios I. Marras, Ioannis Zuburtikudis, Lambrini Papadopoulou

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. ' Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. ' Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. ' Department of Industrial Design Engineering, TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece. ' Department of Industrial Design Engineering, TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece. ' Department of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: Polymer nanocomposites based on poly (butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) with various concentrations of organically modified montmorillonite were fabricated by the solvent casting technique. The morphology of the prepared materials was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and their thermal behaviour was analysed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fibrous mats of pure and nanocomposite PBSA were subsequently prepared by electrospinning. Solution concentration, flow rate and applied voltage were kept constant in order to reveal the effect of the clay content alone on the final fibrous structure using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Keywords: polybutylene succinate-co-butylene adipate; PBSA; polymer nanocomposites; clays; electrospinning; fibres; XRD; X-ray diffraction; thermogravimetric analysis; TGA; DSC; differential scanning calorimetry; nanotechnology; montmorillonite; solvent casting; nanoclays.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2010.034791

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2010 Vol.6 No.1/2/3/4, pp.291 - 299

Published online: 22 Aug 2010 *

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