Controlled Construction and Performance Optimization of Polytetrafluoroethylene Fiber Structures Based on Native Potato Starch
摘要
Fluoropolymer fibers have shown broad application potential in filtration, protective materials, energy storage, and other fields due to their excellent chemical stability, hydrophobicity, and weather resistance. However, conventional fabrication methods generally rely on the petroleum-based polymer substrates, which not only impose environmental burdens and high costs in the fiber preparation process but also limit the precise regulation of fiber structures. Therefore, we provided a new route for preparing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber with a unique nanostructure via centrifugal spinning followed by high-temperature sintering, in which native potato starch is employed as a precursor material. The results indicate that the starch content in the spinning solution has a significant influence on the spinnability and morphology of fibers. The properties of the PTFE fibrous membranes were evaluated through the water contact angle measurements and the oil–water separation experiment. The results demonstrate that the PTFE fibrous membrane exhibits excellent hydrophobicity and oil–water separation performance. Specifically, the water contact angle exceeds 150°, and the oil flux reaches 3650 L/(m2·h), showing an outstanding oil–water separation capability with a filtration efficiency of up to 99.7%.