Effect of lactic acid on polymer crystallization chain conformation and fiber morphology in an electrospun nylon-6 mat

The role of lactic acid (LA) on the polymer crystallization chain conformation and the surface modification of the electrospun nylon-6 fibers were examined. The effect of different amounts of LA on the polymer crystallization chain conformation of nylon-6 mat was evaluated using XRD, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy whereas the surface modification of the electrospun mats was examined by FE-SEM, contact angle and mechanical properties measurement. It was found that the transition of meta-stable γ-form into the thermodynamically stable α-form was achieved by increasing the amounts of LA in the blend mixture. The adhesive property of LA was found to be responsible for the transformation from non-bonded to the point-bonded structure of nanofibers in the electrospun nylon-6 mat. The resultant LA/nylon-6 hybrid mat with improved hydrophilicity and mechanical properties may be a potential candidate for tissue scaffold. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.