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Solution blow spinning (SBS) is a recent technology to produce polymer micro- and nanofibers, including nanocomposites loaded with a wide range of nanoparticles. Because of its novelty, various studies about the properties of the produced materials are necessary, especially those related to material stability. In the present study, poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/titanium dioxide anatase (TiO2) nanocomposite fibers, with different TiO2 percentages, were produced by the SBS method. The spun nanocomposite fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Moreover, the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye and PLA degradation by UV-C lamps were investigated. SEM and TEM micrographs show that the SBS method produced PLA/TiO2 nanofibers with uniform morphology and without beads. The DSC analyses and X-ray diffraction patterns show that incorporation of TiO2 nanoparticles could influence the PLA nanocomposite crystallinity. PLA photocatalytic degradation experiments demonstrate that the weight loss of the polymer increases with an increase in TiO2 content. The present results indicate that the SBS method can be used to produce biodegradable nanocomposite fibers with good properties and potential applications.

Solution blow spinning (SBS) is a simple, safe, and inexpensive alternative to electrospinning for making nanofibers from polymer solutions. However, since SBS is a relatively new technique, there is a general lack of information on polymer solutions and properties that affect fiber morphology and intrinsic properties. The present study reports the solution properties of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) dissolved in chloroform, dichloromethane, and dichloroethane at 4%, 6%, or 8% (w/v) and the properties of fibers made by SBS. In contrast to 4% polymer solutions, fibers made from 6% polymer solutions had few beads and diameters in the range of 120–320 nm. Diameters were greater (311–570 nm) for fibers made from 8% polymer solutions. Solvent evaporation rate affected the fiber porosity and formation. Hansen solubility parameters indicate that dichloromethane was the solvent most miscible with PLA. Fibers made with PLA in dicloromethane had the broader range in fiber diameter. Hansen parameters could be a valuable predictive tool for identifying highly miscible polymer/solvent systems for the SBS process. Polymer solutions with high viscoelasticity and viscosity were well suited for the SBS process. Fibers made from polymer solutions containing dichloromethane had lower crystallinity compared to fibers made from the other solvents.