Haley Carroll-Bassham

Advisor: Dr. Blair K. Brettmann

will propose a doctoral thesis entitled,

Sustainable materials and designs for advanced electrospinning

On

Monday, May 20 at 1:00 p.m.

MoSE Room 1224

Abstract

Electrospinning offers unique opportunities for producing ultrafine fibers with diverse applications, yet formulating polymer solutions for this technique remains challenging. The complexity of formulation, particularly concerning sustainability, necessitates innovative approaches to address key issues. For example, the pervasive use of petroleum-derived polymers in electrospinning formulations, notably in critical items like disposable face masks, contributes substantially to plastic waste accumulation. This dilemma emphasizes the need to explore alternative polymer formulation approaches, such as leveraging bioderived polymers, utilizing green solvents, or enhancing degradation mechanisms at the end of the product lifecycle, mitigating environmental impact. Furthermore, traditional methods of formulation often rely on trial-and-error approaches, leading to inefficiencies and environmental concerns. The central problem addressed in this thesis is the need to enhance sustainability in electrospinning by expanding formulation processes and materials. To address this challenge, the goal of this research is to develop formulations addressing these components—polymer, solvent, and additive—to provide comprehensive solutions for advancing sustainability in electrospinning.

For the polymer component of electrospinning formulations, guidelines for the electrospinnability of charged biopolymers is explored through the interplay between conductivity, viscosity, and polymer concentration (Aim 1). In studying sodium alginate, conductivity is identified as a critical variable guiding the formulation process, broadening the design space for sustainable biopolymer-based fibers. For the solvent component of electrospinning formulations, data-driven material selection methodologies are proposed to expedite the identification of green solvents for polymer blends (Aim 2). By leveraging existing databases, this approach streamlines the selection process by analyzing polymer-solvent interactions and environmental criteria, reducing the number of experiments required and accelerating the development of sustainable electrospinning formulations. Through the additive component of electrospinning formulations, triggerable plastic degradation is introduced through enzyme encapsulation in polymer matrices (Aim 3). By incorporating proteinase and lipase enzymes into PLA and PCL formulations, respectively, the aim is to enhance biodegradability and promote sustainability in plastic materials. Through systematic investigations into enzyme activity, membrane architecture, and degradation kinetics, this approach offers a novel strategy for addressing end-of-life scenarios in electrospinning products. I aim to diversify the materials available for electrospinning formulations beyond synthetic and petroleum-based materials by  integrating sustainability considerations for all formulation components.

Committee

• Dr. Blair K. Brettmann – School of ChBE & MSE (advisor)
• Dr. Valeria Milam – School of MSE
• Dr. Mary Lynn Realff  – School of MSE
• Dr. Sungmee Park – School of MSE
• Dr. Yue Yuan – Oak Ridge National Lab