Electrospinning of Nanofibers
In this post I thought of sharing my experiences in the research on polymeric nanofibers. My research was basically centered around creating polymeric nanofibers as protective substrates. In a broader sense it is creating, analyzing and characterizing polymeric nanofibers by a method called electrospinning.
Electrospinning proces
s uses high voltage electric field to produce electrically charged jets from polymer solution or melts, which on drying by means of evaporation of the solvent produces nanofibers.Production of synthetic filaments using electrostatic forces has been known for more than one hundred years. The process of spinning fibers with the help of electrostatic forces is known as electrospinning. It has been shown recently that electrospinning process is capable of producing fibers in the submicron range. Electrospinning has gained much attention in the last decade not only due to its versatility in spinning a wide variety of polymeric fibers but also due to its consistency in producing fibers in submicron range. These fibers with smaller pores and higher surface area than regular fibers have enormous applications in nanocatalysis, tissue scaffolds, protective clothing, filtration and optical electronics.
In this post I thought of sharing my experiences in the research on polymeric nanofibers. My research was basically centered around creating polymeric nanofibers as protective substrates. In a broader sense it is creating, analyzing and characterizing polymeric nanofibers by a method called electrospinning.
Electrospinning proces
s uses high voltage electric field to produce electrically charged jets from polymer solution or melts, which on drying by means of evaporation of the solvent produces nanofibers.Production of synthetic filaments using electrostatic forces has been known for more than one hundred years. The process of spinning fibers with the help of electrostatic forces is known as electrospinning. It has been shown recently that electrospinning process is capable of producing fibers in the submicron range. Electrospinning has gained much attention in the last decade not only due to its versatility in spinning a wide variety of polymeric fibers but also due to its consistency in producing fibers in submicron range. These fibers with smaller pores and higher surface area than regular fibers have enormous applications in nanocatalysis, tissue scaffolds, protective clothing, filtration and optical electronics.
Electrospinning setup in the Nanofiber research lab at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
Scanning electron microscope image of polyurethane nanofiber magnified 5900 times.
Application of polymeric nanofibers
Carbon and Graphitic Nanofibers
Tissue Scaffolds and Drug Delivery
Catalytic Nanofibers
Filtration
Reference: Electrospinning of Nanofibers, J Appl Polym Sci 96:557–569, 2005
Renowned electrospinning research groups
Professor Darrell H. Reneker Group
Professor Gregory C. Rutledge group
NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative
