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This work focuses on the research and development of composite multilayered AC electrospun materials for applications in technical, medical, and bioengineering fields. It investigates the effects of AC electrospinning on the thermal properties and morphology of Polyamide 4,6 (PA 4,6), both in its base pellet form and as nanofibrous materials with and without caffeine as a model drug. The high voltage applied during AC electrospinning can influence the crystallinity and thermal behavior of the material. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed to analyze thermal transitions, crystallinity, stability, degradation profiles, and as a tool to properly asses the loading of the model drug. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine fiber morphology and material structure. DSC analysis revealed that, compared to PA 4,6 pellets, the pristine nanofibrous material exhibited a decrease in normalized melting enthalpy and a slight increase in melting temperature, while the caffeine-loaded nanofibrous material showed an increase in normalized melting enthalpy and a decrease in melting temperature. TGA confirmed the proper loading of the model drug with initial weight loss corresponding to the PA 4,6:caffeine ratio of 8:2 in solution. The inflection point decreased for both electrospun materials when compared to the pellets. SEM analysis showed smooth, randomly oriented nanofibers, with a reduction in fiber diameter for the caffeine-loaded sample. This study provides clear insights into the effects of AC electrospinning and the addition of a model drug on the thermal properties and fiber morphology of PA 4,6. This serves as a solid base for the next steps in analyzing the release profiles of biologically active substances from composite/layered AC electrospun nanofibrous materials.
Keywords: AC electrospinning, polyamide 4,6, nanofibrous materials, caffeine-loaded nanofibers, thermal properties, nanofibrous yarns, fiber morphology, drug loading.© This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.