Fabrication of Electrospun Polycaprolactone/ Xanthan Nanofibers: Modeling and Optimization of Electrospinning Parameters by Central Composite Design

The aim of this study was to fabricate and optimize polycaprolactone/ xanthan electrospun nanofibers using design of experiment. A three-level-four-factor central composite design was constructed using important electrospinning parameters including polycaprolactone/ xanthan blend ratio (50-90 W/W), applied voltage (12-22 kV), flow rate (0.1-1.1 mL/h), and needle tip to collector distance (8-18 cm) and their effect on key responses namely fiber diameter, standard deviation, and contact angle of the fibers were studied. The morphology of nanofibers was characterized using a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope. Nanofiber contact angle was characterized by the sessile drop water method. The derived polynomial equation and response surface plots aid in predicting the values of selected independent variables to prepare optimum nanofiber with desired properties. The results showed that the blend ratio of PCL/ xanthan was found to be very critical to giving desired nanofiber size, distribution, and contact angle. In contrast, voltage and flow rate also significantly affected the responses, but the spinning distance had the least effects than the other parameters. Also, the experimental response values were in good agreement with the predicted. Hence, the model demonstrated desirable as a reference to production of fine, bead-free, uniform, with moderate wettability polycaprolactone/ xanthan hybrid nanofibers which may have the potential to be used in the field of food and biological applications.