Structural study on electrospun nanofibers of Polydioxanone

Nanofibers of polydioxanone (PPDX) were electrospun from 3.0-wt% solution in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol. Structure and morphology of the electrospun nanofibers were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In order to align and collect nanofibers parallel to each other, we used a homemade collector with separated electrodes which was specially designed. TEM revealed that thus aligned nanofibers on the collector are partially crystallized. The SAED patterns of nanofibers, which were drawn and/or heat-treated with being deposited on the collector, showed a well-developed fiber pattern. In the dark-field image of heat-treated nanofibers, many striations which are running perpendicular to the fiber axis were observed. These striations appear to be a part of stacked-lamellar structure oriented in the direction of fiber axis. This result indicated that heat-treated PPDX nanofibers have stacked-lamellar structure.