Micro helical polymeric structures produced by variable voltage direct electrospinning

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel variable voltage electrospinning technique to produce and control micro helical polystyrene fibers, enabling the creation of micro springs, channels, and periodic structures with tunable properties.

Contribution

It presents a new high frequency variable voltage electrospinning method that allows precise control over helix formation and structure design.

Findings

Helix pitch length is controllable via applied voltage.

Theoretical buckling frequencies match experimental results.

Method enables fabrication of novel micro and nano periodic structures.

Abstract

Direct near field electrospinning is used to produce very long helical polystyrene microfibers in water. The pitch length of helices can be controlled by changing the applied voltage, allowing to produce both micro springs and microchannels. Using a novel high frequency variable voltage electrospinning method we found the helix formation speed and compared the experimental buckling frequency to theoretical expressions for viscous and elastic buckling. Finally we showed that the newmethod can be used to produce new periodic micro and nano structures.