Modification of surface properties of electrospun polyamide nanofibers by means of a perfluorinated acridine

Polyamide 6 (PA6) nanotibers were prepared from formic acid solutions by using electrospinning technique. The fibers were smooth, defects free and with diameters smaller than 200 nm. Small amounts of a perfluorinated acridine were added as dopant to the feed solution to modify the wettability of the fibers. The effect of doping on the contact angle values is well apparent. The contact angle values go from 50 degrees of pure PA6 to 120 degrees when 6% of acridine is added. A comparison between fibers and films of pure and doped polyamide 6 was carried out in order to determine the effect of morphology on wettability. Thermal annealing near the T, of the polymer promoted the segregation of the molecules to the surface, reaching contact angles of 131 degrees with smaller amounts (4%) of acridine. The surface segregation was also promoted by time aging. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.