Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/198520

Title

The formation and characterization of cyclodextrin functionalized polystyrene nanofibers produced by electrospinning

Author(s)

Uyar, Tamer;  Havelund, Rasmus;  Hacaloglu, Jale;  Zhou, Xingfei;  Besenbacher, Flemming;  Kingshott, Peter

Abstract

Polystyrene (PS) nanofibers containing the inclusion complex forming beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were successfully produced by electrospinning aimed at developing functional fibrous nanowebs. By optimization of the electrospinning parameters, which included varying the relative concentration of PS and β-CD in the solutions, bead-free fibers were produced. Homogeneous solutions of β-CD and PS in dimethylformamide (DMF) were used with concentrations of PS varying from 10% to 25% (w/v, with respect to DMF), and β-CD concentrations of 1% to 50% (w/w, with respect to PS). The presence of β-CD facilitated the production of bead-free PS fibers even from lower polymer concentrations as a result of the higher conductivity of the PS/CD solutions. The morphology and the production of bead-free PS/CD fibers were highly dependent on the β-CD contents. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) images showed that incorporation of β-CD yielded PS fibers with rougher surfaces. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and direct insertion probe pyrolysis mass spectroscopy (DP-MS) results confirmed the presence of β-CD in the PS fibers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra of the fibers indicated that the β-CD molecules are distributed within the PS matrix without any phase separated crystalline aggregates up to 40% (w/w) β-CD loading. Furthermore, chemical analyses by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy studies confirm that β-CD molecules are located within the PS fiber matrix. Finally, preliminary investigations using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-static-SIMS) show the presence of the cyclodextrin molecules in the outer molecular layers of the fiber surfaces. The XPS and ToF-SIMS findings indicate that cyclodextrin functionalized PS webs would have the potential to be used as molecular filters and/or nanofilters for the purposes of filtration/purification/separation owing to surface associated β-CD molecules which have inclusion complexation capability.

Publication type

Journal article

Source

Nanotechnology, Vol. 20, no. 12 (Mar 2009), article no. 125605

Publication year

2009

FOR Code(s)

0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics;  1007 Nanotechnology

Keyword(s)

Atomic force microscopes;  Bead-free fibers;  Beta cyclodextrins;  Cd concentrations;  Conducting polymers;  Crystalline aggregates;  Data storage equipment;  Dimethylformamide;  Electrospinning;  Fiber matrixes;  Fiber surfaces;  Fibers;  Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy;  Functionalised;  Homogeneous solutions;  Inclusion complexes;  Mass spectrometers;  Microscopes;  Molecular filters;  Molecular layers;  Molecular spectroscopy;  Molecules;  Nanofibers;  Nanofilters;  Nanofiltration;  Nanostructures;  Pollution;  Polymer blends;  Polymer concentrations;  Polystyrene nanofibers;  Polystyrenes;  Pyrolysis-mass spectroscopies;  Relative concentrations;  Secondary ion mass spectrometry;  Spectrum analysis;  Static secondary ion mass spectrometries;  Surface analysis;  Thermogravimetric analysis;  Time of flights;  TOF-SIMS;  Transmission electron microscopes;  Xps;  X-ray diffractions;  X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies

Publisher

Institute of Physics Publishing

ISSN

0957-4484

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/20/12/125605

Copyright

Copyright © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Peer reviewed