Effect of varying weight ratio on fiber diameter of poly (Ethylene oxide) and carrageenan blend nanofibers via electrospinning.

Date

4-2011

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics

College

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Armida V. Gillado

Abstract

A natural biopolymer, carrageenan, was successfully electrospun from polymer solution by blending with a synthetic poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) polymer. A weight ratio of PEO to carrageenan (60:40, 70:30, 80:20, and 90:10) was varied to investigate the effect on the fiber diameter of the electrospun nanofibers. The other parameters during electrospinning were held constant: 17 kV high-voltage power supply, 10cm tip-to-collector distance, 2mL/h solution flow rate, and 25 needle (0.508mm). Morphological characteristics of the fibers were verified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The use of varying weight ratios of PEO-carrageenan resulted in the formation of fibrous mats with diameter of 50 - 690 nm. The presence of PEO and carrageenan in the electrospun nanofibers is verified by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with 5% level of significance showed that there is a significant difference between the average fiber diameters of the samples. Results showed that the average diameter of electrospun nanofibers decreased as the viscosity of the polymeric solution and ratio of the carrageenan decreased.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

Thesis

Document Type

Thesis

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS