Abstract :
The aim of this project is the development of electrospun fibers using the electrospinning-nano-fiber technique for water-soluble face mask filters. This electrospinning technique can create the nanofiber from a chemical solution by high-voltage electric field across the collector of the nanofiber. The fibers with this technique have suitable properties for making a specific mask filter, e.g., large surface area, lightweight, nano-scale diameter and there are many small pores. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were used as model mixed polymers to produce nanofiber membranes with the ratio of solution content (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100). This electrospinning process is performed at electric field of 25 kV and the distance between the tip of the metal needle and the collector of 15, 17 and 20 centimeters. The morphology and average sizes of fibers were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). After fabricating process, the water solubility of obtained fibers versus the distance of the metal-needle tip and the collector was investigated and discussed. From the experimental results, it was concluded that electrospun nanofiber can be produced at distances of 15, 17 and 20 centimeters, which led to the thickness of the fiber sheet and the diameter of the fibers being reduced with the greater the spacing. The diameter of the fiber at a ratio of 100:0 (PVA/PVP) at a distance of 15 cm has the maximum fiber diameter of 0.27621 ± 0.05 μm. A study of the ratio between polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) polymer on morphology found that the increasing of nanofiber diameter is proportional to the PVA contents. In case of 100:0 (PVA/PVP), the fiber diameter with 15, 17 and 20 equals to 0.27621 ± 0.05 μm, 0.27125 ± 0.06 μm and 0.2431 ± 0.05 μm, respectively. Moreover, water solubility of fibers membrane at distances of 15, 17 and 20 cm were tested at 80 °C, 60 °C and 28.5 °C, respectively. They were clearly found to be water-soluble. Finally, the time required to dissolve the nanofiber is inversely proportional to the increasing distance, and the ratio of 100:0 (PVA/PVP) of the nanofiber can be completely and easily dissolved in water.
Keywords : nanofibers, Electrospinning, Electrospun, Polyvinyl alcohol, Polyvinylpyrrolidone