Nonwoven PTFE Membranes Fabricated by Electrospinning Method: Preparation and Characterization

Abstract

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is one of the promising materials for the purposes of tissue engineering and chemical technology because of its excellent physico-chemical properties and mechanical characteristics. However, conventional methods of PTFE porous membranes production have several disadvantages which limit the number of potential application areas by reason of a insufficient surface-to-volume ratio and poor porosity at small thickness. In the paper the results of using PTFE water suspension with a solution of water-soluble polymer for preparation of porous membranes by electrospinning are reported. The physico-chemical characteristics of membranes were investigated depending on the content of PTFE dispersion in spinning solution. There were found high hydrophobicity and lyophilicity of PTFE electrospun membranes. Main reasons of poor mechanical properties of porous membranes at high content of PTFE suspension in spinning solution are discovered. The ways of mechanical properties improvement and areas of possible applications are proposed.