Electrospinning and Porosity Measurements of Nylon-6/Poly(ethylene oxide) Blended Nonwovens

Abstract

A simple method was used to prepare a nonwoven fabric of intimately co-mingled Nylon-6 and Polyethylene oxide (PEO) electrospun fibers by spinning fibers onto a rotating collector. Electrospinning parameters for each polymer were independent. Fiber mixture and distribution was uniform throughout the depth of the fabric. Porosity and pore size distribution of the materials were measured before and after a washing treatment. The PEO component was removed during the washing step to create increased pore size in the remaining fabric. This study indicates a simple method to create nanofiber nonwovens of multiple dissimilar polymers and provides a strategy for controlling pore size distribution independently from fiber formation.