Influence of Solvent Type on the Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Electrospun PMMA Nanofibers

Electrospinning is a versatile and widely used technique for producing nanofibers with controlled morphology and high surface area, essential for applications in filtration, biomedical engineering, and sensors. The choice of solvent plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency of the electrospinning process and the properties of the resulting fibers. In this study, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning using four different solvents: tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMF), chloroform (CHCl3), and acetone at a 20% (w/w) polymer concentration. Surface tension tests revealed that DMF exhibited the highest surface tension, at 40.11 mN/m, which influenced fiber formation. Electrospinning parameters were optimized, and the nanofibers were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). FESEM confirmed nanofiber diameters ranging from 100 nm to 700 nm, with DMF-based fibers showing the smallest average diameter (∼150 nm). AFM analysis revealed that DMF-PMMA nanofibers exhibited the highest surface roughness, which can be attributed to the solvent properties. These results demonstrate that DMF is the most effective solvent among those tested for producing fine PMMA nanofibers with superior morphology and enhanced surface characteristics, underscoring the critical impact of solvent selection in electrospinning nanofiber fabrication.