Simple methods influencing on properties of electrospun fibrous mats

In many cases, potentially good electrospun materials are not satisfactory to the intended uses, but the use of the additional processing allows for an achievement of more suitable properties. Sometimes certain modifications of the spinning solutions are needed to improve its spinning ability and to properly carry out the electrospinning. For example an introducing of ionic and nonionic surfactants as Tebac or Triton X-100 significantly improved spinning ability of PLA or chitosan solutions. In turn the annealing or the annealing under pressure has enhanced crystallinity, mechanical strength, and an apparent density of raw electrospun fibrous mats from various PLAs, making them more useful. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012