4 March 2024 | Nanang Qosim · Hamta Majd · Jubair Ahmed · Gareth Williams · Mohan Edirisinghe
This study presents a novel method for producing cellulose derivative fibers using pressurized gyration (PG) and electrospinning (ES). The research focuses on ethyl cellulose (EC) and cellulose acetate (CA), two common cellulose derivatives. The PG technique, which combines centrifugal spinning and solution blowing, was used to produce fibers without the need for polymer precursors. The fibers produced by PG and nozzle-pressurized gyration (N-PG) had diameters ranging from 488 to 825 nm, with a higher production rate than ES. In contrast, ES produced bead-free fibers with a wide range of solvent systems and concentrations. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze fiber morphology, diameter distribution, and alignment. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to compare the physicochemical properties of fibers produced by PG and ES. These tests revealed that the fibers produced by both methods had identical physicochemical structures and properties. The study concludes that PG has the potential to be a promising technique for producing cellulose derivative-based fibers with a high production rate, which could be used in applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound dressing. The research also highlights the importance of optimizing process parameters, such as gas pressure and gyration speed, to achieve the desired fiber diameter and uniformity. The study demonstrates that EC can be successfully spun using PG and N-PG, while CA requires higher concentrations and different solvent systems for successful electrospinning. The results show that both methods produce fibers with similar physicochemical properties, but PG offers a higher production rate and better fiber alignment. The study also emphasizes the need for further research to optimize the PG process and improve the scalability of cellulose derivative fiber production.This study presents a novel method for producing cellulose derivative fibers using pressurized gyration (PG) and electrospinning (ES). The research focuses on ethyl cellulose (EC) and cellulose acetate (CA), two common cellulose derivatives. The PG technique, which combines centrifugal spinning and solution blowing, was used to produce fibers without the need for polymer precursors. The fibers produced by PG and nozzle-pressurized gyration (N-PG) had diameters ranging from 488 to 825 nm, with a higher production rate than ES. In contrast, ES produced bead-free fibers with a wide range of solvent systems and concentrations. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze fiber morphology, diameter distribution, and alignment. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to compare the physicochemical properties of fibers produced by PG and ES. These tests revealed that the fibers produced by both methods had identical physicochemical structures and properties. The study concludes that PG has the potential to be a promising technique for producing cellulose derivative-based fibers with a high production rate, which could be used in applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound dressing. The research also highlights the importance of optimizing process parameters, such as gas pressure and gyration speed, to achieve the desired fiber diameter and uniformity. The study demonstrates that EC can be successfully spun using PG and N-PG, while CA requires higher concentrations and different solvent systems for successful electrospinning. The results show that both methods produce fibers with similar physicochemical properties, but PG offers a higher production rate and better fiber alignment. The study also emphasizes the need for further research to optimize the PG process and improve the scalability of cellulose derivative fiber production.