Needleless Electrospinning of Polystyrene Fibers with an Oriented Surface Line Texture

Abstract

We have demonstrated that polystyrene (PS) nanofibers having an ordered surface line texture can be produced on a large scale from a PS solution of acetone and N,N′-dimethylformamide (2/1, vol/vol) by a needleless electrospinning technique using a disc as fiber generator. The formation of the unusual surface feature was investigated and attributed to the voids formed on the surface of jets due to the fast evaporation of acetone at the early stage of electrospinning, and subsequent elongation and solidification turning the voids into ordered lines on fiber surface. In comparison with the nanofibers electrospun by a conventional needle electrospinning using the same solution, the disc electrospun fibers were finer with similar diameter distribution. The fiber production rate for the disc electrospinning was 62 times higher than that of the conventional electrospinning. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that the PS nanofibers produced from the two electrospinning techniques showed no significant difference in chemical component, albeit slightly higher crystallinity in the disc spun nanofibers.

Eu3+‐doped polystyrene and polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers made by electrospinning for photoluminescent fabric designing

“…The most striking feature is appearance on the high frequency side at 2357.24 cm −1 , induced by Eu 3+ ion coordination with the C − F group of PVDF molecule chains, indicating doped Eu 3+ in the PVDF matrix. Similarly, bands in the FT‐IR spectrum for PS/Eu 3+ nanofibers correspond to CH 2 aromatic ring monosubstitution at 1725.93 cm −1 ; deformation of CH 2 + C = C of the aromatic ring at 1447.51 cm −1 ; flexion C − H in the plane at 1084.98 cm −1 ; C–H out‐of‐plane bend at 757 cm −1 and CH 2 rocking mode at 692 cm −1 are characteristic PS bands . The appearance of the band on the high frequency side at 2357.24 cm −1 , which was also induced by Eu 3+ ion coordination with the C − H group of PS molecule chains, indicates Eu 3+ doped in the PS matrix.…”

Functional Nanofibers with Multiscale Structure by Electrospinning

“…When a high voltage is applied between the spinneret and the collector, tens of streams of nanofibers are drawn simultaneously from the sharp conical tips. Another widely used approach to scale up the production of nanofibers is to dynamically generate sharp conical tips using a rotating cylinder with a rough surface [100,101], as shown in Figure 5d. Half of the cylinder is submerged in the polymer solution.…”

Raising Nanofiber Output: The Progress, Mechanisms, Challenges, and Reasons for the Pursuit

“…Recent works indicate that by taking the advantage of solution and spinning properties, it is capable of processing nanofibers having special morphological features and with special performance properties such as coaxial or particle encapsulated. Huang et al used volatility and subsequent fast evaporation of acetone off polystyrene (PS) nanofibers to create an ordered surface line texture in disk electrospun nanomembranes at a rate 62 times the normal electrospinning output. A production rate 8 times the conventional electrospinning output was got for free surface electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone nanofibers encapsulating PS nanobeads giving nano/microfibers with diameters independent of the bead sizes and bead loading.…”