Study on the possibilities for improving the mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)-based electrospun materials
Coordinator:
Assoc. Prof. Olya Stoilova Stoilova, PhD
Base organization:
Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Duration:
24 months
Abstract of the project:
The project is focused on studying the possibilities for improving the physico-mechanical properties of electrospun poly (3-hydroxybutyrate)-based (PHB) materials and to obtain a new knowledge on the composition–structure–properties relationships of these materials. The studies are fundamental and will be aimed at finding optimal conditions for appropriate combining of the properties of different biodegradable and biocompatible aliphatic polyesters, polyethers and natural polysaccharides – PHB, poly(ε-caprolactone), poly(ethylene oxide), chitosan and cellulose acetate which have different thermal behaviour (low- and high-melting). The structure and morphology of the fibrous materials will be purposely tailored by applying innovative and conventional methods – (co)electrospinning onto patterned collectors (rotating-types of drum, blade and grid), coating and/or thermal treatment, in order to discover the possibilities to reach control on the physico-mechanical properties of PHB materials. Microscopic, spectroscopic and thermal methods will be applied for characterization of the materials. The effect of the composition onto physico-mechanical properties of the PHB composite materials will be studied by examining their stress-strain behaviour. Moreover, possibilities for finding a reliable standard for the performance of these tests will be searched for. In order to achieve the project objective, an interdisciplinary research team of experienced researchers, young researchers and PhD-students with expertise in different research fields has been built. The research proposal will encourage the research development and will lead to increase in the capacity of young researchers, which is an excellent prerequisite for improving the competitiveness of the team members in the frontline field of advanced materials and nanotechnologies.
Keywords:
electrospinning, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), patterned rotating collectors, mechanical properties