The effect of deposition angle on morphology and diameter of electrospun TiO2/PVP nanofibers

Abstract

Electrospinning has become a robust technique for the cost-effective production of fibrous materials. In a conventional electrospinning process, the produced fibers are fabricated by either vertical or horizontal setups, resulting in isotropic non-woven fibers mats. Many researchers have focused on the influence of various electrospinning parameters, solution parameters and ambient parameters. However, until now less attention has been paid on the impact of gravity on fiber and mat morphologies. This article presents a novel approach for altering the morphology of electrospun TiO2/PVP nanofiber mats using a simple concept based on different deposition angles. The electrospinning setups used involved five deposition angles (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, and 180°), which revealed an effect of gravity on fiber mat morphology and fiber diameter. This work provides new prospects toward the design of electrospun fiber mats and provides us with additional options to achieve optimal results.