Single phase bead free PLZT(7/60/40) fibers processed by electrospinning method

The reported study presents the formation of PVA/PLZT composite fibers by the electrospinning process followed by conversion into single-phase PLZT fibers. High viscous polymer (PVA) solution and stabilized ceramic oxide (PLZT) sol were used as the starting constituents. Both of them were mixed in three different ratios (PVA:PLZT::4:1; 2:1 and 1:1) to make their composite solutions. Viscosity of the PVA solution and other three composite solutions was measured at room temperature. Subsequently, efforts were made to convert these composite solutions into fibrous form by using different combinations of electrospinning process parameters. The as-spun PVA/PLZT composite fibers were characterized by SEM measurements. The detailed SEM study revealed that the morphology of PVA/PLZT composite fibers significantly changed with the variation in viscosity of their corresponding composite solutions. The composite fibers prepared from the PVA and PLZT ratios of 4:1 (4 parts of PVA solution and 1 part of PLZT sol) and 2:1 (2 parts of PVA solution and 1 part of PLZT sol) showed bead free nature along with narrow fiber diameter distribution for certain electrospinning parameters. For the third ratio of the composite solution that is, PVA:PLZT::1:1, several combinations of the electrospinning process parameters were tried but the resulted fibrous network showed beaded fiber morphology throughout the deposition area. Calcination of the as-spun composite fibers at 650 °C showed PVA free single phase PLZT fibers. The results revealed ~40% reduction of the diameter of calcined PLZT fibers with good fiber morphology.