Electrospinning

1. Explain the construction and working mechanism of electrospinning system with schematic
diagram.
In 1934, Formhals patented a process to produce polymer filaments using electrostatic
force.Electrospinning is able to produce fibers whose diameters ranged from tens of nanos to a
few microns.
Currently, there are two standard electrospinning setups, vertical and horizontal.The typical
setup consists of three parts: a) a syringe needle (associated to a syringe and a syringe pump) with
a droplet of polymer solution hanging at the tip, b) a ground electrode used as the fiber collector,
and c) a high voltage source which creates an electrical potential difference between syringe
needle and collector.
A polymer solution is pumped through a syringe at a constant rate, forming a droplet at the end
of the needle.A high voltage (commonly from 5 to 30 kV) is applied between the polymer
solution feed and a collecting electrode.Electric field is subjected to the end of a capillary tube
that contains the polymer fluid held by its surface tension. This induces a charge on the surface of
the liquid. Mutual charge repulsion causes a force directly opposite to the surface tension.As the
intensity of the electric field increases, the hemispherical surface of the solution at the tip of the
capillary tube elongates to form a conical shape known as Taylor cone. When the electric field
reaches a critical value at which the repulsive electric force overcomes the surface tension force, a
charged jet of the solution is ejected from the tip of the cone.The fluid jet is accelerated and
stretched by Coulombic force exerted the external electric field and becomes dramatically thin
while travelling toward the collector, leading to the formation of a continuous solid fiber as the
solvent evaporates.Decreasing the jet diameter, the surface charge density increases and the
resulting high repulsive forces split the jet into several smaller jets.An electrospinning jet
generally comprises of three segments, the Taylor cone, the stable segment and the bending
instability segment.The stable phase usually has a length of about 10 mm. The jet is seriously
elongated by a bending and whipping processes caused by electrostatic repulsion initiated at
small bends in the fiber, until it is finally deposited on the collector. Two types of collector may
be used, either stationary or rotary collector.
Ribbon-like fibers are obtained when the surface of the fiber solidifies faster than the inside and
the skin-like structure collapses when the solvent is completely removed from the inner parts.
 Electrospinning

2. Enlist the parameters affecting the process of electrospinning.

Influencing parameters:

a) Conductivity: conductivity ↑ stretching of jet↑ beads formation↓ fiber diameter↓

b) Viscosity: molecular wt↑ viscosity↑ solution concentration↑ viscosity↑

viscosity↑ jet stretching↓ bending instabilities↓ fiber diameter↑ collection area↓

molecular wt↓ viscosity ↓fiber diameter ↓ beads formation↑ smooth fiber↑

c) Surface tension: surface tension ↓ beads formation↓ fiber diameter ↓ fiber fineness↑

d) Solvent volatility: volatility↑ fused fiber↓ ribbon fiber↑

e) Tip to collector distance: distance↓↓ vaporization of solvent↓ diffusion of solvent↑ fused fiber↑

distance ↓ stretching ↓ fiber diameter↑ fineness↓

distance ↑↑ electric field strength↓ fiber diameter↑ fineness↓

f) Nozzle diameter: nozzle diameter↑ fiber diameter↑

3. Write the causes and remedies of beads formation in electrospinning.

The presence of beads in electrospun fibers is a common problem. Insufficient viscoelastic to suppress
surface tension will lead to beaded fiber formation.
Following are the main factors contributing to beads formation:
- Low molecular weight/concentration/viscosity (fiber diameter ↓ beads formation↑)
-High surface tension
-Low charge density (high charge density split and narrowing bead ultimately no beads formation)
-High flow rate of the polymer within the syringe.
Remedies:
-Increase the concentration
-Increase the molecular weight
-Using more conductive solvent.
-Adjusting the voltage, spinneret tip-to-collector distance,
-Reducing feed-rate and reducing the humidity.
 Electrospinning

4. Explain the mechanism of jet initiation in electrospinning process.

Stage-1: An overhang drop solution is extruded from the needle tip. The pendent drop adopts a
hemispherical profile when no charge is applied.
Stage-2: When a high voltage is applied, the charges begin to concentrate around the tip of the
solution as it has largest curvature.
Stage-3: As the density of the charges increases with increasing applied voltage, the mutual
repulsion of the molecules within the solution causes the pendent drop to bend.
Stage-4: At a critical voltage, the density of the charges at the tip of the overhang drop and the
resultant repulsive force is able to overcome the surface tension of the solution and a jet is
ejected from the tip of a Taylor cone.

5. Describe the controlling parameters of fiber diameter in electrospinning.

a) Viscosity: It is widely known that reducing the solution concentration or the molecular weight
will reduce the fiber diameter due to lower viscosity. The viscosity of the solution generates an
opposing force to the electrostatic repulsion responsible for stretching and thinning the solution
jet.

b) Solution conductivity: A more conductive solution will allow greater stretching of the
electrospinning jet due to the presence of more charge carriers.

c) Voltage: Higher voltage may also encourage spinning jet splitting which also leads to smaller
fiber diameter

d) Distance between tip and collector: Increasing the distance between tip and collector may
reduce the fiber diameter as there is a greater stretching distance

e) Nozzle Diameter: Larger nozzle diameter will contribute to a larger Taylor cone.
 Electrospinning

6. Explain the basic mechanism of co-axial electrospinning in brief with figure.

Many modifications are attempted in the basic electrospinning process in order to enhance the
quality and functionality of the resulting nanofibers. The coaxial electrospinning is one such
modification, which facilitates the production of core–shell nanofibers. The main advantage of
this method is the enhancement in electrospinnability of a less spinnable material with the help
of a highly spinnable material, used either as core or shell.

Coaxial spinneret can produce Hollow nanofibers/microfibers, Core/Sheath

nanofibers/microfibers.

Based on the basic electrospinning setup, two syringes feed inter-separated and coaxial “Inner
fluid” and “Outer fluid” to spinneret. Under high voltage, the electrospinning liquid is drawn out
from spinneret and forms a “Compound Taylor cone” with a core-shell structure. After “Coaxial
jet”, the core-shell structure will be built and kept in the fibers through spinning solid and be
collected on the “Collector”.

7. Write some specification of electrospinning system.

Syringe traverse speed= 10-100mm/min

Voltage= 5-30 kV
Nozzle inner diameter= 0.1-1.5mm
Drum rotation speed= 60-300 rpm.
Tip to jet distance= 10mm
Jet to collector distance= 10-20 cm
Flow rate= 0.55 ml/hr, 1ml/hr etc
Fiber diameter= 0.05 to 5 micron
Production rate= 0.01g/hr (3.5 km/s)