PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF ELECTROSPUN POLY(ε-CAPROLACTONE)/POLYPYRROLE MEMBRANES

Electrospun poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL)/polypyrrole (PPy) membranes were prepared by in situ polymerization of pyrrole (Py) via oxidization with ferric chloride from PCL/chloroform solutions containing Py. Sodium dodecyl sulfate was also added in the electrospinning solution for doping PPy. The composition of the obtained PCL/PPy membranes was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the fiber morphology was observed under a scanning electron microscope and a transmission electron microscope. Tensile mechanical properties and the volume resistivity of the PCL/PPy membranes were also tested. Results exhibited that the prepared PPy nanoparticles were attached on the electrospun fiber surface. The fiber diameter decreased gradually from (730 +/- 341) nm to (325 +/- 84) nm and showed narrower distribution with increasing the Py amount (mass percentage with respect to PCL) from 0 to 20%. The tensile modulus and tensile strength gave rise to an increase tendency, and their values increased from (25.7 +/- 0. 8) MPa and (2.48 +/- 0. 14) MPa of the ?CL membrane to (48. 4 +/- 7. 6) MPa and (5. 05 +/- 0. 59) MPa of the PCL/PPy membrane with 20% Py, respectively. The elongation at break declined from (129 +/- 27) % to (86. 2 +/- 9. 1)% and the volume resistivity reduced by 2 similar to 3 orders. The electrospun PCL/PPy fibrous membranes would be possibly applied as electroactive materials in biomedical or functional area.