Effect of zinc acetate concentration and spinning voltage on the fiber diameter of electrospun zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofibers .

Date

10-2011

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics

College

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Armida V. Gillado

Co-adviser

Josephine Garcia-Merle

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanolibers were fabricated via electrospinning using zinc acetate and polyvinyl acetate (PVA) as sol-gel precursor. The concentration of the precursor was varied by changing the mass of zinc acetate in the PVA solution. Samples of zinc acetate/PVA solution with zinc acetate concentration of 0.1g/m1„ 0.2g/ml. and 0.3g/ml, were fabricated. Other electrospinning parameters such as flow rate (1m1./hr), tip to collector distance (10cm) and needle size (0.60x25mm) were held constant. The fibers were electrospun at 20kV and 25kV. The electrospun zinc acetate/PVA fibers were calcined at 500°C to produce ZnO nanofibers. Fiber diameter was examined under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post-hoc test showed that at 5% level of significance, an increase in zinc acetate concentration leads to an increase in the fiber diameter of the nanolibers. At 20kV, the diameters of the fiber increased with corresponding increase in zinc acetate concentration. At 25kV, an increase in fiber diameter was observed from 0.1g/mL to 0.2g/mL concentration, the decrease in fiber diameter from 0.2g/mL to 0.3g/mL concentration can be accounted to uneven fiber ejection at high voltage and viscosity. T-test showed that at 5% level of significance, there was a decrease in fiber diameter from 20kV to 25kV. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of ZnO and decomposition of PVA after calcination. Keywords: Chemical synthesis methods (81.16.Be), Effects of electric and magnetic fields (83.60.Np). Decomposition reactions (82.30.Lp), Ceramics and refractories (81.05.Je)

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

Thesis

Document Type

Thesis

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