Morphology and Thermal Properties of Core-Shell PVA/PLA Ultrafine Fibers Produced by Coaxial Electrospinning
Read full paper at: http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=54099#.VO16_CzQrzE Author(s) Raquel P. Gonçalves , Flavia F. F. da Silva , Paulo H. S. Picciani , Marcos L. Dias * Affiliation(s) Institute of Macromolecules, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil . ABSTRACT Coaxial electrospinning process was used to produce biodegradable membranes made of coreshell fibers of a poly(lactic acid) (PLA) shell and a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) core. Scanning electron microscopy analyses of these structures showed that the PLA shell can present certain porosity depending on the process condition. FTIR-ATR and contact angle measurements also suggested imprisonment of the PVA core within the PLA shell. This type of structure was also confirmed by means of transmissions electron microscopy. The morphology of these fibers was dependent on the flow rate of both core and shell solutions, and homogeneous...