Electrospinning of Nylon11: Effect of processing parameters on morphology and microstructure

In this work we have described the influence of electrospinning parameters on the morphology of Nylon11 electrospun mats and the microstructure of the fibers constituting the mats. Specifically, we have investigated the effects of solution concentration, applied voltage and distance between the electrodes on the diameter and shape of the nanofibers. Various techniques were used to characterize the microstructure of the Nylon11 electrospun nanofibers and the same was compared with the structure of melt pressed and solution cast films of Nylon11. We show that rapid formation of electrospun nanofibers causes the Nylon11 chains to crystallize in the metastable gamma phase and show lower degree of crystallinity. Further, the fibers show higher glass transition temperature and higher activation energy for the glass-to-rubber transition suggesting the possibility of a rigid amorphous phase. Finally, we have carried out comparative evaluation of electrospun Nylon11 mats and solution cast/melt pressed films for culturing HEK293 cells.