Optimization of Electrospun TORLON® 4000 Polyamide-Imide (PAI) Nanofibers: Bridging the Gap to Industrial-Scale Production

Abstract

Polyamide-imide (PAI) is an exceptional polymer known for its outstanding mechanical, chemical, and thermal resistance. This makes it an ideal choice for applications that require excellent durability, such as those in the aerospace sector, bearings, gears, and the oil and gas industry. The current study explores the optimization of TORLON® 4000 T HV polyamide-imide nanofibers utilizing needleless electrospinning devices, ranging from laboratory-scale to industrial-scale production, for the first time. The PAI polymer has been dispersed in several solvent systems at varying concentrations. The diameter of the electrospun PAI nanofibers ranged from 65.8 nanometers to 1.52 μm. Their filtering efficiency was above 90% for particles with a size of 0.3 microns. The TGA results proved that PAI nanofibers have excellent resistance to high temperatures up to 450 °C. The PAI nanofibers are ideal for hot air intake filtration and fire-fighter personal protection equipment applications.