Post-consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate) based membranes using electrospinning technique
Date
2024-11-01
Authors
Nikahetiya, I. U. S.
Ananda, N. D. W. Y.
Gunathilake, W. S. S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Postgraduate Institute of Science (PGIS), University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Abstract
Poly(ethylene terephthalate), commonly known as PET, is a thermoplastic polymer resin. Recycling efforts of PET waste are essential to minimize the environmental impact. Therefore, a type of chemical recycling of PET waste was investigated in this study. Several solvent systems in different ratios were tested to dissolve post-consumer PET water bottles. The PET-based membranes were prepared using post-consumer PET water bottles and a solvent system of trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane in 1:5 ratio. Electrospinning technique was used to prepare the fibrous membrane. Several instrumental parameters were optimized to obtain the best fibrous membrane, which has a minimum diameter and a lesser number of beads formed. The best selected membrane was synthesised setting the flow rate as 0.5 mL/h, distance from the needle tip to the collector drum as 10 cm, voltage as 21-22 kV and collector drum speed as 700-702 rps. Several PET solutions were also prepared based on PET concentration, and 15% (w/v) of PET solution resulted in the best membrane. The average diameter of fibres in different PET membranes was determined, and the membrane prepared from 15% PET solution recorded the smallest diameter of 752.3 ± 88.80 nm. The membrane was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The Fourier transform infrared spectra of PET based membrane clearly showed C=O stretching band around 1720 cm ⁻ ¹ and phenyl C-H and ethyl C-H stretching bands around 2900-3000 cm ⁻ ¹. Furthermore, X-ray fluorescence analysis confirmed that this membrane does not contain any heavy metals bound to it. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that PET membrane starts to decompose at temperatures of around 450 °C to 460 °C. This study revealed that a PET based membrane can be prepared using PET water bottle pellets.
Description
Keywords
Dichloromethane , Electrospinning , PET membrane , Poly(ethylene terephthalate) , Trifluoroacetic acid
Citation
Proceedings of the Postgraduate Institute of Science Research Congress (RESCON) -2024, University of Peradeniya, P 208