Thermal Investigations on Polyethylene Oxide Nanofibers*

Solutions of polyethylene oxide (PEO) - deionized water of concentrations between 3 and 10 % wt, have been prepared and homogenized by stirring. These solutions were centrifugally spun in the air, at room temperature by using a Fiberio Cyclone L-1000M equipment at various spinning rates between 2,500 to 12,000 rotations/minute. The nanofibers were allowed to dry at room temperature for 24 h. Thermogravimetric measurements were performed to control water’s evaporation and the thermal stability of the nanofibers by using a TG 209 F3 Tarsus-Netzsch instrument operating under the nitrogen atmosphere, in the temperature range 50 to 1000 ^oC. Measurements with different heating rates from 1 ^oC/min up to 50 ^oC/min have been performed on both nanofibers and pristine polymer powder. The goal was to determine if the diameter or the surface area of these nanofibers affects their thermal stability.
PEO nanofibers have been investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), by using a Netzsch DSC 214 instrument. The research focused on the effect of PEO confinement in nanofibers on the glass transition. DSC data on both PEO powders and nanofibers have been recorded at various heating rates between 1 oC/min up to 50 ^oC/min.