F. Widhi Mahatmanti, Ella Kusumastuti, Nanik Wijayati
Electrospinning is a progressive method which produces fibers ranging from submicron level to several nanometers in diameter in high voltage electrostatic field. One polymer that requires these characteristics is chitosan. The electrospinnability of chitosan is limited mainly because of its polycationic nature in solution, rigid chemical structure and specific inter and intramolecular interactions. Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) is a biodegradable polymer and can reduce the crystallinity of chitosan. In this study, the electrospinning of chitosan/PVA has been investigated. A series of chitosan/PVA blended nanofibrous membranes were produced by electrospinning. Nanofibers were obtained from solution 4% chitosan with 20% PVA, using volume ratios of 2:8, 4:6, 6:4, 8:2, and 5:5. The result showed that the optimum volume ratio of chitosan/PVA was 2:8 which produced fiber around 100 nm in diameter. Increasing chitosan/PVA volume ratio from 2:8 to 5:5 led to a diameter reduction, with a percentage decrease of 94% to 84%. Decreasing chitosan/PVA volume ratio from 6:4 to 8:2 led to a diameter reduction, with a percentage decrease of 90% to 86%. Polyvinyl Alcohol addition decreases chitosan solution electrical conductivity and its viscosity. © 2023 Author(s).
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Semarang, 50229, Indonesia
