The effect of PVAc solution viscosity on diameter of PVAc nanofibres prepared by technology of electrospinning
David Petras a),b), Petr Slobodian a), Vladimír Pavlínek a), Petr Sáha a), Dušan Kimmer b)            
a) Centre of Polymer Systems, Faculty of Technology, Tomas Bata University in Zlín, nám. T.G.Masaryka 555, 760 05 Zlín
b) SPUR a.s., Tr. Tomase Bati 299, 763 02 Zlin, Czech Republic

Abstract.  Polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) nanofibers were prepared by technology of electrospinning with help of multi-jets electrospinning machine from acetic acid/water solvent system. The stability of the process was tested in a broad concentration region from 5 to 40 wt. % of PVAc. The main attention was carried out to study the effect of polyvinyl acetate solution concentration/viscosity onto mean diameter of prepared nanofibers. It was found that increased solution viscosity leads to increase of fibers diameters from appox. 60 nm at viscosity ~ 0.04 Pa.s to appox. 1000 nm at viscosity  ~ 6-7 Pa.s. The PVAc nanofibres can be considered as a potential precursor for preparation of inorganic fibrous nanoparticles. Their dimensions can be effectively controlled by PVAc nanofibers diameter by easy diameter - concentration/viscosity optimalization.

Keywords:  Polyvinyl acetate, PVAc, nanofibers, nanofiber layer, electrospinning, acetic acid, water