Effect of needle diameter on nanofiber diameter and thermal properties of electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate)

The effect of needle diameter on the resulting electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) average nanofiber diameter has been evaluated for three different needle gauges. The resulting nanofibers were observed and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), suggesting a lack of correlation between the needle diameter used and the resulting average nanofiber diameter. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated an increase in the thermal stability of PMMA nanofibers when compared to powdered PMMA, while differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies evidenced lower glass transition temperatures (Tg) for PMMA nanofibers in the first heating cycle. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.