<![CDATA[Achieving uniform nanoparticle dispersion in electrospun polymer nanofibers remains a critical challenge, as conventional electrospinning often leads to particle agglomeration and nozzle clogging, reducing fiber uniformity and functional efficiency. This study explicitly addresses this problem by developing poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/BaSO4 composite nanofibers through both conventional and ultrasonic-assisted electrospinning. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that ultrasonication effectively disrupted nanoparticle agglomerates, yielding smoother and more uniform fiber morphologies. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis further confirmed that ultrasonic processing reduced the crystalline intensity of PVA and BaSO4, indicating enhanced polymer–filler interaction and finer BaSO4 distribution. Quantitatively, the agglomeration slope decreased from 0.039 (conventional) to 0.006, and the mean crystallite size was reduced from approximately 470 to 300 nm. These results are consistent with recent advances showing that ultrasonic electrospinning improves nanoparticle dispersion and stability in polymer matrices, thereby enhancing optical and mechanical properties. Ultimately, this work demonstrates that ultrasonic-assisted electrospinning provides a robust and scalable strategy to fabricate lightweight, flexible, and multifunctional PVA-based radiation shielding materials with superior nanoparticle dispersion and structural homogeneity.]]>
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