Influence of nanoparticles on the morphology, thermal stability and air permeability of electrospun polylactic-acid fibres

Polylactic-acid (PLA) and PLA-clay fibres have been produced from solution of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol by electrospinning. Nanoclays having different aspect ratio, namely a montmorillonite and a sepiolite, have been added and dispersed within the polymer matrix in order to enhance the thermal stability and air permeability of PLA. The influence of the polymer molecular weight, the solution viscosity and conductivity on the morphology of the fibres has been investigated. Electron microscopy has shown that fibre diameter and the presence of beads defects in the fibres depend on the type of clay added to the polymer matrix. The thermal stability in nitrogen and in air has been drastically enhanced for the presence of the clays as compared with neat polymer. Finally, permeability tests performed on the electrospun condensed fibres pointed out that PLA-clay fibres exhibit a lower permeability to air (up to 90%) with respect to neat PLA fibres.