On the Formation of the Supramolecular Structure of Poly(L-lactide) in the Process of Electrospinning Nanofibers
摘要
Materials based on uniaxially oriented poly(L-lactide) (PLA) nanofibers are obtained using the electrospinning method. A study of the structure, carried out using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry, shows that the nanofibers are characterized by an amorphous structure with the orientation of macromolecules relative to the axis of the nanofiber, i.e., a liquid-crystalline-type structure. The strength of such nanofibers is 78.3 MPa, the modulus of elasticity is 11.25 MPa, and the elongation at break is 142%. Heat treatment in the isometric state at T = 80°C and above leads to the formation of α-form crystalline regions oriented relative to the nanofiber axis. Treatment at T = 160°C leads to the partial recrystallization of PLA, the formation of a second phase, and β-form crystals. The presence of a mixture of α- and β-modification crystals leads to a decrease in the strength and elastic characteristics of the nanofibers.