Solution parameters in the manufacture of ceramic ZnO nanofibers made by electrospinning

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning from zinc acetate (ZnAc) as precursor under different conditions. The influence of the solution parameters was studied considering type of solvent, polymer molecular weight and concentration of the components. This investigation was carried out in two stages. In the first step, a 2(3) factorial design was performed considering the following variables: molecular weight of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), amounts of PVA and ZnAc, and water or a mix of water/alcohol as solvents. In the second step, the optimized solution of the first step was then used to create a 2(2) factorial design, considering the concentrations of PVA and ZnAc to improve process efficiency. The solutions were analyzed in terms of viscosity, electrical conductivity and surface tension. Fiber morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, and average diameter was determined. The formation of ZnO was evidenced by X-ray diffraction.