Electrospinning of natural polymers is often difficult compared to electrospinning of synthetic materials. Typical problems concerning natural materials are finding of applicable solvent, low molecular weight, contracted molecular conformation in solution, and charged groups in their structures. Electrospinnability of some natural materials can be enhanced by chemical modification of polymer, adjusting the electrospinning conditions and using auxiliary polymer. In this study electrospinning trials were carried out using three natural polymers. These materials included milk proteins (casein), lignin and cellulose. Na-caseinate was soluble in water, and it was electrospinnable with auxiliary polymers. Lignin formed fibers with different solvent and auxiliary polymers, but also pure lignin fibers were obtained. Cellulose material was derivatized in order to obtain solubility in water. Electrospinning of cellulose proved, however, to be challenging.

Water-based electrospinning of natural polymers?

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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