Elucidating the Fractal Nature of the Porosity of Nanofiber Members in the Electrospinning Process

Abstract

Electrospinning is an amazing process that enables the production of primarily nanofiber membranes. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying the formation of two-dimensional (2D) nonwoven structure remains a fascinating enigma. This paper presents a novel morphology of nanofiber membranes with a cluster structure that bears resemblance to the solar nebula. The mechanism of nanofiber cluster structures in the electrospinning process is elucidated through the geometric potential theory, which begins with a zero-dimensional receptor, progresses to a one-dimensional (1D) receptor, a 2D receptor, and ultimately culminates in a fractal-like lattice receptor. Moreover, a three-dimensional (3D) printing-like novel approach is presented for the manipulation of nanofiber membrane’s shape through the use of a lattice-structured receptor. The fabrication process of the cluster structure nanofiber membranes by electrospinning is presented, and their remarkable potential applications are discussed.