Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) essential oil is known for its antifungal, antimicrobial and mosquito-repellency functions. Ultrafine fibrous webs of cellulose acetate (CA) containing citronella were prepared by electrospinning and tested for their main properties. The effect of CA and oil concentrations on fiber morphology was elucidated. GC was used to identify the components while SEM and TGA data revealed the influence of the oil phase on the morphological and thermal characteristics of the obtained electrospun fibers. The changes in viscosity and evaporation rate of precursor solutions formulated with citronella allowed the formulation of defect-free fibers while the thermal properties were not significantly affected. The obtained nanofibers are expected to be useful in applications involving the various functional properties of this oil.

Production of electrospun cellulose acetate fiber mats as carriers of citronella essential oil

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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