pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S13 - Fibers and Textiles
Poster Presentation
 
 

High Temperature Electrospinning of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polypropylene (UHMWPP) and its bilayer composite mat with PET

Mahajan Jignesh Shantaram (1)*, Ghosh Anup K (1), Gupta Virendrakumar (2), Patil Sandip (3), Singh Yogesh (4)

(1) Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India - Delhi - India, (2) Reliance Industries Ltd., Mumbai - Maharashtra - India, (3) E-Spin Nanotech Private Ltd., SIDBI Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur - Uttar Pradesh - India, (4) Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India - Uttar Pradesh - India

This work describes the development of nanofibers of UHMWPP by electrospinning process for the first time. The high tensile nanofibers were fabricated using decalin solvent. In order to perform high temperature electrospinning process, the conventional setup was converted into high temperature setup by attaching IR heaters. In this study, UHMWPP of various molecular weights were subjected to high temperature electrospinning. The effect of concentration, temperature and molecular weight on fibre morphology was investigated and the parameters for fibre formation were optimized. SEM analysis of fibers showed that most of the fibres were having diameter in the range of 200-900 nm. Bilayer of UHMWPP and PET nanofiber composite mat was fabricated by layer-by-layer eletctrospining process. The morphology of composite mat was characterized by SEM. Two different melting peaks were obtained in DSC thermogram that confirmed the presence of two different polymers UHMWPP and PET. The breaking force of composite mat of UHMWPP and PET was 30% more than neat PET mat. The composite mat was used as reinforcing fabric in ethylene octene copolymer elastomeric matrix and the modulus testing was carried out. Significant increase in modulus was seen by incorporating composite mat of UHMWPP and PET. The modulus of composite made by incorporating composite mat in ethylene - octene copolymer was 67% and 150 % more than modulus of composite made by incorporating only PET mat and sheet of neat ethylene - octene copolymer. Keywords: Electrospinning, UHMWPP, nanofibres, high-temperature, composite.