Abstract/Summary

We explore the effects of cross-linking on some thermal and mechanical properties of polymer nanofibers of poly-vinyl cinnamate which were electro-spun from 1,2 dichloroethane. Scanning electron microscopy performed on the fibres revealed smooth fibres which were devoid of beading or ribbon-type features. When cross-linked, the Young’s moduli and glass transition temperatures of the fibres increase, owing to the formation of new covalent bonds which leads to higher overall binding energies. The glass transition temperatures increased by 20 K after 1 h of photo-polymerization while the Young’s modulus increased by 50% for the same exposure time. The glass transition temperatures as well as the heats of enthalpy indicate that a significant portion of cross-linking occurs within the first 10 min of exposure.