Electrospinnability of poly(butylene succinate): Effects of solvents and organic salt on the fiber size and morphology

Submicrosized and nanosized fibers of polymers can be formed easily by electrospinning techniques. However, bead formation can occur if inappropriate solvent systems are used. In this study, we focused on investigating the effects of solvents and organic salt on the electrospinnability of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS). Electrospun PBS fibers were obtained from single-solvent systems, that is, systems with chloroform (CF) or dichloromethane, at various concentrations (8-30% w/v). Discrete beads and beaded fibers were still found at every PBS concentration. In this study, the electrospinnability of the PBS solutions in CF were improved by the addition of methanol (MeOH) as a cosolvent and an organic salt [alkyl ammonium ethyl sulfate (AAES)]. The obtained fibers were smooth without any beads, and the diameters were affected by the amount of MeOH and the PBS concentration. The electrospinnability of PBS could be enhanced by the addition of a cosolvent with a high dielectric constant or organic salt (AAES). Moreover, the diameters of the electrospun PBS fibers decreased with increasing AAES concentration. We found that the presence of MeOH (30 vol %) and the addition of AAES caused an increase in the crystallinity of the PBS fibers. Therefore, we concluded that bead-free ultrafine PBS fibers could be obtained through the addition of the cosolvent and the organic salt. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42716.