Preparation and formation mechanism of highly aligned electrospun nanofibers using a modified parallel electrode method

• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2015.10.116
• Publication Date: 2015-10-24T05:04:05Z
• Authors: Jianghui Zhao; Hongying Liu; Lan Xu
• Keywords: Electrospinning

Abstract A modified parallel electrode method (MPEM) by placing a positively charged ring between the needle and the parallel electrode collector was presented to fabricate highly aligned electrospun nanofibers. The experimental and theoretical analyses were carried out to study mechanical mechanism of the MPEM. As a result the ring could be used to optimize and control the nanofiber alignment, and an optimal ring voltage was determined. In addition, the effectiveness of the MPEM was demonstrated by measuring the diameter distribution and the degree of nanofiber alignment. And the results showed the MPEM could decrease the nanofiber diameter, enhance the diameter distribution, and improve the nanofiber alignment two times more than the parallel electrode method (PEM).