Study on Polylactide-Coconut Fibre for Biomedical Applications

Polylactide (PLA) reinforced with 5 wt% coconut shell particles (CSp) were electrospun using 0.09–0.14 g/ml composite solutions in Dichloromethane (DCM) while keeping the spinneret angle to the collector at 30, 45 and 90°. The fibres produced were subjected to mechanical, microstructural and fluid absorption (in distilled water and phosphate buffer solution (PBS), at 31 and 70 °C) examinations. The results indicated that the fibres demonstrated improved mechanical properties due to the presence of intercalated structures and good alignment of reinforcement particles with the matrix fibre. A Young Modulus of 126.96 MPa was obtained at 0.1 g/ml composite concentration compared to 0.52 MPa for virgin PLA at the same concentration. At 0.11 g/ml composite concentration, the Young modulus was 121.61 MPa compared to 1.1 MPa virgin PLA at the same concentration. The addition of CSp to the PLA matrix increased the number of pores in the fibres matrix giving rise to a pore diameter of 30.3 µm at 0.1 g/ml composite concentration for 30° spinneret angle. The fluid absorption test showed that reinforced PLA has high affinity for water and PBS at test temperatures than virgin, while the latter and former are good water absorbers. The resulting fibres can therefore, be used as towels, diapers, wound dressers, filters and in tissue engineering.