Influence of molecular weight and rheological behavior on electrospinning cellulose nanofibers from ionic liquids
Journal article, 2013

Dissolving pulp was depolymerized with 2.5M HCl into cellulose fractions with decreasing molecular weight relative to acid treatment time. The cellulose fractions were dissolved at various concentrations in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EmimAc) with co-solvent DMSO at ratio 1 : 1 (w/w) and electrospun. Size exclusion chromatography was used to evaluate the molecular weight distributions and the rheological properties were characterized with a cone-and-plate rheometer. Scanning electron microscope was used to evaluate the fiber morphology, and thereby spinnability. Zero shear viscosity as a function of cellulose concentration show that all the solutions in this study are in the entangled semi-dilute regime; where the polymer concentration is large enough for significant overlap necessary for chain entanglement. However, within the intervals studied, neither cellulose concentration nor molecular weight seems to be decisive for if a solution can be electrospun into fibers or not. It is rather the viscosity of the solution that is decisive for electrospinnability, even though the solution is in the entangled semi-dilute regime.

cellulose

ionic liquids

electrospinning

molecular weight

viscosity

Author

Linda Härdelin

Polymer Technology

Erik Per Perzon

Swerea

Bengt Hagström

Chalmers, Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Polymeric Materials and Composites

Pernilla Walkenström

Swerea

Paul Gatenholm

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Polymer Technology

Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC)

Journal of Applied Polymer Science

0021-8995 (ISSN) 1097-4628 (eISSN)

Vol. 130 4 2303-2310

Subject Categories

Polymer Technologies

DOI

10.1002/app.39449

More information

Latest update

2/17/2021