Electrospun Polybenzimidazole Membranes: Fabrication and Fine-Tuning Through Physical and Statistical Approaches

Polybenzimidazole (PBI), a high-performance polymer known for its exceptional thermal stability and chemical resistance, was processed by solution electrospinning to manufacture fibrous non-woven membranes. The process was repeated under different conditions by adjusting four main settings: the polymer solution concentration, the flow rate, the voltage applied between the needle and the collector, and the separating distance. To clarify the interplay between process parameters and material properties, a Design of Experiment (DOE) approach was used to systematically analyze the effects of said parameters on microstructural properties, including fiber diameter, porosity, and air permeability, pointing out that the increase in viscosity improves fiber uniformity, while optimizing the applied voltage and the needle-collector distance enhances jet stability and solvent evaporation, crucial for defect-free fibrous microstructures. Post-processing via calendering further refined the membrane texture and properties, for example by reducing porosity and air permeability without significantly altering the fibrous morphology, particularly at low lamination ratios. Thermal and mechanical evaluations highlighted that the obtained electrospun PBI membranes exhibited enhanced flexibility, but lower tensile strength compared to cast films due to the underlying open pore microstructure. This integrated approach-combining experimental characterization, DOE-guided optimization, and post-processing via calendering-provides a systematic framework for tailoring PBI membranes for specific applications, such as filtration, fuel cells, and molecular sieving. The findings highlight the potential of PBI-based electrospun membranes as versatile materials, offering high thermal stability, chemical resistance, and tunable properties, thereby establishing a foundation for further innovation in advanced polymeric membrane design and applications for energy and sustainability.