The Effects of Polymeric Molar Mass, Concentration, and Adding of Different Surfactants on The Electrospun Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Nanofibers

The aim of the study is to produce nanofibers using electrospinning with aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA) solutions. Effect of PVA molar mass and concentration and effect of surfactants on the properties of PVA solutions and on the diameter size of electrospun PVA nanofibers were examined. It was shown that the viscosity of the polymer solution was increased by increasing PVA molar mass and concentration. To obtain the nanofiber structure, optimum PVA(18.000) (molar mass = 18,000 g/mol) and PVA(50.000) (molar mass = 50,000 g/mol) concentrations were found to be 30% w/w and 20% w/w, respectively. With the addition of anionic and cationic surfactants, the viscosity and the electrical conductivity of the polymer solutions were increased while the surface tension and fiber diameters of the nanofibers were decreased (p 0.05). As a result, electrospun nanofibers were produced using PVA and water and the diameters and properties of nanofibers can be modified by controlling the parameters examined in the study