Electrospinning of Natural Rubber/PLA/PEO Blends: Effect of Solution and Environmental Parameters on the Material's Morphology

Nowadays, the widespread use of composite materials is limited in some applications by their low delamination resistance and low damping ability. Thermoplastic and elastomeric nano- and micro-fibers have recently been proposed to enhance the fracture toughness of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminates, yielding promising results. In the present work, the morphology of microfibrous electrospun membranes based on natural rubber/poly(lactic acid)/poly(ethylene oxide) (NR/PLA/PEO) polymer blends is investigated. It is observed that environmental parameters play a key role in determining the morphology of the fibers, allowing smooth and defect-free ones to be obtained at low humidity values while porous ones at high humidity values.