Electrospun Cellulose Acetate Nanofiber: Characterization and Applications

Electrospinning is a versatile technique that has emerged to fabricate fibers of diameter in the nanoscale range. Of various polymers electrospun to date, cellulose acetate has been widely studied due to its huge applicable fields. Moreover, it is also seeking greater attention due to its biocompatibility, renewability, and biodegradability. The produced nanofibers are characterized by various tools to investigate their morphological, physical, structural, thermal, and mechanical properties. Some solvents do not render electrospinning at all, whereas a binary mixture of solvents allows uniform electrospinnability with different morphology. The concentration of cellulose acetate also plays a decisive role as the viscosity of the solution is directly linked to it. Structural analysis results in interpreting the bonding information involved in the cellulose acetate fiber. Also, cellulose acetate fibers can be modified to make them a hydrophobic surface and to possess greater swellability. Finally, these nanofibrous mat finds their application in drug delivery, tissue engineering, thermal storage, biosensors, and wound dressing mats.