The Potential for the Direct and Alternating Current-Driven Electrospinning of Polyamides

Abstract

The paper provides a description of the potential for the direct current- and alternating current-driven electrospinning of various linear aliphatic polyamides (PA). Sets with increasing concentrations of selected PAs were dissolved in a mixture of formic acid and dichloromethane at a weight ratio of 1:1 and spun using a bar electrode applying direct and alternating high voltage. The solubility and spinnability of the polyamides were investigated and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were acquired of the resulting nanofiber layers. The various defects of the spun fibers and their diameters were detected and subsequently measured. Moreover, the dynamic viscosity and conductivity were also subjected to detailed investigation. The most suitable concentrations for each of the PAs were determined according to previous findings, and the solutions were spun using a NanospiderTM device at the larger scale. The fiber diameters of these samples were also measured. Finally, the surface energy of the fiber layers produced by the NanospiderTM device was measured aimed at selecting a suitable PA for a particular application.

High‐throughput fabrication, structural characterization, and cellular interaction of compositionally diverse fish gelatin/polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous materials

“…Cyclic nature of nanofiber generation, often different precursor requirements than in DC electrospinning, and slowly propagating dense fibrous flows in AFES allow expansion of the possible polymeric precursor systems, handling approaches of the generated nanofibers, and structure and textural properties of the resulting nanofibrous materials. [10][11][12][13] Lawson et al 14 have shown that AFES of PCL can efficiently work with acetic acid as the only solvent, or with multi-solvent systems based on mixtures of formic acid, acetic acid, and acetone, as demonstrated by Sivan et al 15 The PCL nanofibers productivity rates between 1.0 and 12.4 gÁh À1 were obtained depending on the solvent system and applied AC voltage. Varying the process parameters, such as AC frequency and solvent system, allows for modification of the resulting PCL nanofibrous material characteristics like wettability, contact angle, density, alignment, and surface energy.…”

“…alternating current (AC) electrospinning) has gained traction in recent years as a high‐yield, sustainable approach to nanofiber production. Cyclic nature of nanofiber generation, often different precursor requirements than in DC electrospinning, and slowly propagating dense fibrous flows in AFES allow expansion of the possible polymeric precursor systems, handling approaches of the generated nanofibers, and structure and textural properties of the resulting nanofibrous materials 10–13 . Lawson et al 14 have shown that AFES of PCL can efficiently work with acetic acid as the only solvent, or with multi‐solvent systems based on mixtures of formic acid, acetic acid, and acetone, as demonstrated by Sivan et al 15 The PCL nanofibers productivity rates between 1.0 and 12.4 g∙h −1 were obtained depending on the solvent system and applied AC voltage.…”