ELECTROSPRAYING/ELECTROSPINNING OF POLY(gamma-STEARYL-L-GLUTAMATE): FORMATION OF SURFACES WITH SUPERHYDROPHOBICITY

Electrospraying/electrospinning of poly(gamma-stearyl-L-glutamate) (PSLG) was investigated on a series solutions with different concentrations in chloroform. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR/ATR) were used to characterize the morphology and structure of the electrosprayed/electrospun polypeptide mats. It was found that electrospraying of PSLG with concentrations lower than 16 wt% afforded beads, while microfibers could be electrospun at the concentration of 22 wt%. The hydrophobicity of the electrosprayed/electrospun PSLG mats was investigated with static water contact angle (WCA) and tilt angle measurements. It was demonstrated that the superhydrophobic surfaces of PSLG with WCAs and tilt angles in the ranges of 150 degrees-170 degrees and 16.5 degrees-4.2 degrees, respectively, were obtained through electrospraying/electrospinning process.