Molecular orientation in electrospun nanofibers is a critical parameter due to its strong impact on several of their properties. However, its accurate characterization is challenging when using conventional techniques (such as infrared spectroscopy or X-ray diffraction) due to the averaging over thousands of imperfectly aligned fibers showing a large diameter distribution. Several recent studies conducted at the single fiber scale have evidenced their unusual size-dependent mechanical properties and associated it to an increasing level of orientation when reducing the fibers diameter. However, our current understanding of these phenomena remains limited due to a lack of characterization tools enabling molecular orientation studies at the single fiber scale.1Recently, we have shown that confocal Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool for this application.2In this work, we have used this technique to probe the impact of the electrospinning conditions, such as the collector type and the solvent used, on the orientation and thermal properties of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) nanofibers over a broad diameter range. High orientation values were observed for both the crystalline and amorphous phases and were essentially unaffected by the collection method for PEO fibers produced from highly volatile solvent.A more complex behavior is observed when increasing the solvent boiling point. Our conclusions drawn at the single fiber level greatly differ from those previously reached from macroscopic studies of this system.  M. Richard-Lacroix, C. Pellerin, Macromolecules (Perspective), 2014  , under revisionM. Richard-Lacroix, C. Pellerin, Macromolecules, 2012  , 45, 4, 1946-1953

Molecular orientation in single electrospun nanofibers: Effect of processing parameters

247th National Meeting (2014)

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