Poly(butylene succinate-co-terephthalate) nanofibrous membrane composited with cyclodextrin polymer for superhydrophilic property

Tailoring the wetting properties of nanofibrous membranes and endowing them with expected wettability provides new ways in extending the application field of these materials. In this study, we first performed the in situ fabrication of poly(butylenes succinate-co-terephthalate) (PBST) composite nanofibrous membrane with cyclodextrin polymer (CDP) using a combination of electrospinning and heating processes. Then, the morphologies, crystallization and mechanical properties of the PBST composite membrane were investigated. It was found that the CDP was uniformly dispersed on the PBST nanofibers instead of merely covering the surface of the membrane. Moreover, the introduction of additives brought about a decreased crystallinity and tensile strength of the resultant membrane due to its restraining role in the crystallization of PBST. Furthermore, the wettability of the PBST composite membranes with various amounts of additives was explored and the evolution of water spread on top of the membranes was also recorded. The membrane became superhydrophilic from hydrophobic upon increasing the amount of additives and the water droplet could completely spread within 0.2 s, which was attributed to the enlarged roughness and increased contact area of CDP on the nanofibers. A comparison between the two fabrication methods used for PBST composite nanofibrous membranes is also presented and studies on the preparation and wetting properties may shed light on polymer composite membranes that exhibit potential application in more fields.