Electrospun lignin nanofibers

Abstract

Lignin-based nanofibers present significant potential for use in technical applications as a sustainable alternative to conventional materials. In this study, the electrospinning of lignin nanofibers was investigated. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were selected as carrier polymers to facilitate the electrospinning process. Lignin/polymer solutions with varying mixing ratios were electrospun under different applied voltages. The morphology of the resulting nanofibers was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results demonstrated the successful production of bead-free lignin nanofibers using both carrier polymers. Notably, the finest nanofibers were obtained with PAN, whereas the use of PVA enabled the incorporation of a higher lignin content (>80%) within bead-free nanofibers.