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Article
Concurrent collection and post-drawing of individual electrospun polymer nanofibers to enhance macromolecular alignment and mechanical properties
Polymer (2016)
  • David A. Brennan, Rowan University
  • Dave Jao, Rowan University
  • Michael C. Siracusa, Rowan University
  • Andrew R. Wilkinson, Rowan University
  • Xiao Hu, Rowan University
  • Vince Z. Beachley, Rowan University
Abstract
The study reports a nanomanufacturing method that facilitates post-drawing of electrospun polymer nanofibers. Post-drawing is critical in conventional microfiber processing to enhance mechanical strength, but has been difficult to implement with nanofibers. Here, a parallel automated track collector was designed to permit continuous processing of thousands of individual nanofibers per minute under highly controllable drawing conditions. Post-drawing systematically induced macromolecular alignment and altered the chemical bond composition of polycaprolactone nanofibers with increasing draw ratio. The strength and stiffness of fibers with a draw ratio of 4 were enhanced by 7 and 15 times respectively and their mechanical properties exceeded previously reported values for conventional and nanoscale polycaprolactone structures.
Publication Date
January 10, 2016
DOI
10.1016/j.polymer.2016.09.061
Citation Information
David A. Brennan, Dave Jao, Michael C. Siracusa, Andrew R. Wilkinson, et al.. "Concurrent collection and post-drawing of individual electrospun polymer nanofibers to enhance macromolecular alignment and mechanical properties" Polymer Vol. 103 (2016) p. 243 - 250
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/vincent-beachley/10/