Abstract
Needleless electrospinning technology is considered as a better avenue to produce nanofibrous materials at large scale, and electric field intensity and its distribution play an important role in controlling nanofiber diameter and quality of the nanofibrous web during electrospinning. In the current study, a novel needleless electrospinning method was proposed based on Von Koch curves of Fractal configuration, simulation and analysis on electric field intensity and distribution in the new electrospinning process were performed with Finite element analysis software, Comsol Multiphysics 4.4, based on linear and nonlinear Von Koch fractal curves (hereafter called fractal models). The result of simulation and analysis indicated that Second level fractal structure is the optimal linear electrospinning spinneret in terms of field intensity and uniformity. Further simulation and analysis showed that the circular type of Fractal spinneret has better field intensity and distribution compared to spiral type of Fractal spinneret in the nonlinear Fractal electrospinning technology. The electrospinning apparatus with the optimal Von Koch fractal spinneret was set up to verify the theoretical analysis results from Comsol simulation, achieving more uniform electric field distribution and lower energy cost, compared to the current needle and needleless electrospinning technologies.
Highlights
A novel needleless electrospinning method was proposed based on Von Koch curves of Fractal configuration, simulation and analysis on electric field intensity and distribution in the new electrospinning process were performed with Finite element analysis software, Comsol Multiphysics 4.4, based on linear and nonlinear Von Koch fractal curves
Comsol Multiphysics 4.4 software is employed to simulate the field intensity during Fractal electrospinning, and the parameters used for modeling electrospinning process are listed in Table I, where 30kV voltage is applied to the spinneret models, the values of relative dielectric permittivity for surrounding air and the materials of Fractal spinneret are defined as 1.00059 F/m and 1.5 F/m, respectively
The electric field intensity of the tips at the three linear Fractal structure spinneret models including the first, second and third levels of Koch curves was simulated and calculated using Comsol Multiphysics 4.4, the resultant electric field profiles were shown in Figure 6, where (a), (b) and (c) stand for the field intensity distribution on the first, second and third levels of Koch curve Fractal structure spinnerets respectively, (d), (e) and (f) represent the zoomed-in field intensity distribution on single Fractal structure units of the first, second and third levels of Koch curve Fractal structure spinnerets respectively
Summary
Of nanofibers, the channel clogging remains the barrier towards massive and nonstop electrospinning process. A lot of published works has been devoted to improve the electrospinning productivity, and various needleless geometries, such as roller and wire commercialized by Elmarco with the brand name NanospiderTM,[25] as well as ball, disk, coil, ring[26,27,28,29] have been used to produce nanofibers at large scale. A series of needleless geometrical spinnerets without tips have been designed and commercially applied successfully, tipped needleless electro spinnerets are expected to provide with higher electric field intensity and better distribution. The authors designed a sawtooth shaped needleless electrospinneret,[18] with which finer nanofibers were prepared at lab scale at relatively low voltage
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