Production and Characterization of Blow-Spun Recycled Polycarbonate Nanofibers Using the Airbrush System

This paper evaluates the use of the airbrush adapted solution blow spinning process as a secondary recycling method to produce recycled polycarbonate nanofibers. The results show a gradual improvement in fiber morphology and reduction in fiber diameter with increasing concentration, obtaining fibers at 18% w/v, indicating that the process is effective in producing high-quality nanofibers. The ideal morphology for the samples was obtained under 21%w/v and 60 Psi of air pressure with an 80nm average diameter. The thermal analysis demonstrates that the fibers possess similar thermal behavior to pure polycarbonate while the oxidation index didn’t show significant degradation on the fibers, suggesting that they can be used as standalone nanofibers for advanced applications. The produced nanofibers have diameters below 100 nm, making them suitable for use in face mask filters, among other applications. The study provides a new approach for the recycling of polycarbonate materials, offering a sustainable solution for their reuse.

Keywords:
nanofibers; polycarbonate; solution blow spinning; recycling