Electrospinning and Grafting Modification with Cationic Monomer of Polystyrene Nonowovens
Although the electrospun polymer fiber shows large specific surface area, its mechanical strength is usual- ly poor, and the polar groups are often devoid. The electropsun polystyrene fibrous mats were treated with toluene e- mulsion and heated in oven in order to improve their mechanical strength. Afterwards, the polystyrene nonwovens embedded with the initiator azobisisobutyronitrile were further grafted with methacrylamido propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (MAPTAC) in aqueous solution. The effects of the volume ratio of methanol to water and the dosage of the crosslinking agent N,N' -methylene-bis-acrylamide on the grafting were investigated in detail. The toluene emulsion effectively improved the nonwoven tensile strength. The results of water contact angle, water uptake, infrared spectra, and scanning electron microscopy all showed the monomer was successfully grafted onto the fiber surface.