Ultrathin fibres from electrospinning experiments under driven fast-oscillating perturbations

TL;DR

This paper investigates how driven fast-oscillating perturbations in electrospinning affect jet stability and fiber morphology, revealing that oscillation parameters can control fiber thickness and structure.

Contribution

It introduces a computational study showing how oscillation frequency and amplitude influence fiber morphology and thickness in electrospinning.

Findings

Thinner fibers are produced with higher oscillation amplitude and frequency.

Spiral structures' morphology correlates with oscillation parameters.

Oscillation control enables fiber design customization.

Abstract

The effects of a driven fast-oscillating spinneret on the bending instability of electrified jets, leading to the formation of spiral structures in electrospinning experiments with charged polymers, are explored by means of extensive computer simulations. It is found that the morphology of the spirals can be placed in direct correspondence with the oscillation frequency and amplitude. In particular, by increasing the oscillation amplitude and frequency, thinner fibres can be extracted by the same polymer material, thereby opening design scenarios in electrospinning experiments.