Fabrication and characterizations of electrospun PAN/PEG1000/2000 composite fibres

Abstract

Composite fibrous mats of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and binary mixture of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000 plus PEG 2000 (1:1) have been fabricated using electrospinning. Phase change temperature range of PEG mixture is 24-33°C (cooling cycle) and 42-55°C (heating cycle), and corresponding enthalpy is 155J/g and 182J/g. The effects of PEG1000/2000 mass content on the morphology, thermal properties, structure of the produced composite fibres have been investigated thoroughly by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometer. The experimental results show the preparation of three-dimensional nanofibrous mats. The fibre diameter varies with the PEG content. The latent heat enthalpy of the composite fibres increases with the increase in PEG blends content during cooling and heating cycles. Phase change temperature shows little difference between pure PEG and composite fibres. The obtained results also show that the super fine porous PAN mats can act as polymeric matrix of PEG1000/2000 and thus prevent the leakage of PEG1000/2000 during phase transition. PAN/PEG1000/2000 has potential to be a form-stable phase change material.