Design and implementation of three‐dimensional electrospinning machine

Abstract

In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) electrospinning machine is designed and implemented as a new type of delta 3D printer that incorporates the fabrication of textiles directly into the 3D printing process. The newly designed 3D machine enables custom-shaped electrospun nanofibre sheets to be fabricated in a single process. The implemented prototype allows controllable nozzle movements in 3D space. Four design patterns are successfully fabricated using a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) solution at an 18% weight concentration. The microscopic properties of the electrospun patterns are verified via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the fibre morphology. The SEM image at 14.5 kV shows that the PVDF electrospun nanofibres appear smooth and uniform with varying diameters in the range of 700–400 nm.