Reinforcement of Polymeric Submicrometer-sized Fibers by Microfibrillated Cellulose

To improve their mechanical properties, biodegradable network-forming microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) is introduced into PEO fibers by an electrospinning (e-spinning) procedure. The influence of MFC is investigated with respect to e-spinning process parameters as well as morphological and mechanical properties of the fibers. The determination of the Young's modulus is established using both macro-tensile testing procedures of aligned fiber patches and AFM on single fibers. Highly filled fiber systems are obtained, showing an enhancement of Young's modulus by a factor of up to ten compared to pure PEO fibers. The morphological investigations reveal fibers with circular cross-sections incorporating homogeneously dispersed MFC within the polymer matrix. The introduction of MFC has no relevant effect on processing and the appearance of the fiber.