Preparation of Electrospun Electroactive Nanofibers of Four Arm Star-Shaped Poly(ε-Caprolactone)-b-Poly(2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate) and Its Blends with Polyaniline

Abstract

ABSTRACT A combination of ring-opening polymerization and atom-transfer radical polymerization was used to synthesize a four-arm star-shaped poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate). The structure of obtained copolymer was determined by Fourier transform infrared, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies. The uniform electroactive nanofibers consisting blend of four-arm star-shaped poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) copolymer and polyaniline were produced using electrospinning technique. The electroactivity of prepared nanofibers was investigated using cyclic voltammetry measurement. The morphologies of electrospun nanofibers produced from four-arm star-shaped poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and their blends with polyaniline were investigated by the scanning electron microscopy. The presence of polyaniline resulted in significant decrease of sticking fibers. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT