The fabrication and characterization of casein/PEO nanofibrous yarn via electrospinning

Abstract

Casein, a natural protein, has been used as a biopolymer-based resource for producing fiber. This fiber provides high comfort properties with a pH close to human skin. This study focused on evaluating the production feasibility of casein nanofiber twisted yarn with the highest protein content in the hybrid yarn, obtaining suitable spinning conditions and desirable properties of the produced yarn. The desirable yarn achieved by composing 90% casein and 10% polyethylene oxide. The yarn strengthened using several types of cross-linking methods and the best technique was obtained to spin an optimized engineered yarn. Consequently, the biodegrading test conducted on the optimized yarn (90% casein and 10% polyethylene oxide blend) in the presence of 40% di-isocyanate as strengthener additive. Observations showed that after ten days, the sample mostly degraded in the solvent and its strength massively reduced so it could be considered as an environmentally friendly, biodegradable fiber.