Physical structure behavior to wettability of electrospun poly(lactic acid)/polysaccharide composite nanofibers

Poly(lactic acid) has been electrospun into submicron fibers with embedded cassava starch matrix. The fibers had average fiber diameters between 140 and 680 nm. The starch content varied from 10 to 20% in total solids. Water contact angles were measured on sheets of these fiber materials and correlated with the fiber size and starch content. Water contact angles varied from 80 to 120° which shows that the fiber composition can control the mat properties from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. The results also showed variation in the average fiber diameters alone did not always affect sheet wettability. These results show the importance of the relationship between the electrospun fiber sheet topography and material composition to the wettability of polysaccharide electrospun nanofibers.