Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution Technique
In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was mixed with a renewable polymer, lignin, to produce electrospun nanofibers by using an electrospinning technique. Lignin was utilized as a soft template that was removed from the nanofibers by using a selective dissolution technique to create porous PAN nano...
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/22/3938 |
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| author | Mohd Adib Tajuddin Ahmad Norizah Abdul Rahman |
| author_facet | Mohd Adib Tajuddin Ahmad Norizah Abdul Rahman |
| author_sort | Mohd Adib Tajuddin Ahmad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was mixed with a renewable polymer, lignin, to produce electrospun nanofibers by using an electrospinning technique. Lignin was utilized as a soft template that was removed from the nanofibers by using a selective dissolution technique to create porous PAN nanofibers. These nanofibers were characterized with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) to study their properties and morphology. The results showed that lignin can be homogeneously mixed into the PAN solution and successfully electrospun into nanofibers. FESEM results showed a strong relationship between the PAN: lignin ratio and the diameter of the electrospun fibers. Lignin was successfully removed from electrospun nanofibers by a selective chemical dissolution technique, which resulted in roughness and porousness on the surface of the nanofibers. Based on the BET result, the specific surface area of the PAN/lignin nanofibers was more than doubled following the removal of lignin compared to PAN nanofibers. The highest specific surface area of nanofibers after selective chemical dissolution was found at an 8:2 ratio of PAN/lignin, which was 32.42 m<sup>2</sup>g<sup>−1</sup> with an average pore diameter of 5.02 nm. The diameter of electrospun nanofibers was also slightly reduced after selective chemical dissolution. Porous PAN nanofibers can be seen as the precursors to the production of highly porous carbon nanofibers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:07:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f0b8d6491e0f42cbaa0e00ab1cb9c090 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:07:32Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
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| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-f0b8d6491e0f42cbaa0e00ab1cb9c0902023-11-23T01:09:08ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602021-11-011322393810.3390/polym13223938Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution TechniqueMohd Adib Tajuddin Ahmad0Norizah Abdul Rahman1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, MalaysiaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, MalaysiaIn this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was mixed with a renewable polymer, lignin, to produce electrospun nanofibers by using an electrospinning technique. Lignin was utilized as a soft template that was removed from the nanofibers by using a selective dissolution technique to create porous PAN nanofibers. These nanofibers were characterized with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) to study their properties and morphology. The results showed that lignin can be homogeneously mixed into the PAN solution and successfully electrospun into nanofibers. FESEM results showed a strong relationship between the PAN: lignin ratio and the diameter of the electrospun fibers. Lignin was successfully removed from electrospun nanofibers by a selective chemical dissolution technique, which resulted in roughness and porousness on the surface of the nanofibers. Based on the BET result, the specific surface area of the PAN/lignin nanofibers was more than doubled following the removal of lignin compared to PAN nanofibers. The highest specific surface area of nanofibers after selective chemical dissolution was found at an 8:2 ratio of PAN/lignin, which was 32.42 m<sup>2</sup>g<sup>−1</sup> with an average pore diameter of 5.02 nm. The diameter of electrospun nanofibers was also slightly reduced after selective chemical dissolution. Porous PAN nanofibers can be seen as the precursors to the production of highly porous carbon nanofibers.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/22/3938polyacrylonitrileligninelectrospinningselective chemical dissolutionporous nanofibersnanofibers |
| spellingShingle | Mohd Adib Tajuddin Ahmad Norizah Abdul Rahman Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution Technique Polymers polyacrylonitrile lignin electrospinning selective chemical dissolution porous nanofibers nanofibers |
| title | Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution Technique |
| title_full | Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution Technique |
| title_fullStr | Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution Technique |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution Technique |
| title_short | Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution Technique |
| title_sort | preparation and characterization of highly porous polyacrylonitrile electrospun nanofibers using lignin as soft template via selective chemical dissolution technique |
| topic | polyacrylonitrile lignin electrospinning selective chemical dissolution porous nanofibers nanofibers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/22/3938 |
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