Control of mat thickness in electrospinning with transparent conductive glass collector

Abstract

AbstractElectrospinning is a versatile technique for producing micro‐ and nanofibrous mats with great potential in many fields. However, reproducibility remains a key issue for product development. In particular, thickness is an important parameter for controlling electrospun fiber mats. In this study, we developed a method to control the polymer mat thickness during electrospinning. The mat thickness was controlled on the basis of the light transmittance and by using conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) glass connected to ground as a collector. Living cells were seeded on the fiber mat without detaching from the ITO glass, which enabled observation under a microscope and the evaluation of cell behavior. This study indicates that the thickness of the fiber mat can be consistently controlled by monitoring the light transmittance instead of the electrospinning duration and the mat can be easily observed under a microscope. This is expected to be particularly useful in the field of tissue engineering.