The Optimization of Alternating Current Electrospun PA 6 Solutions Using a Visual Analysis System.

Tomas Kalous,Pavel Holec,Jiri Chaloupek,Ondrej Batka,Martin Bilek,Pavel Pokorny,Jiri Chvojka,Jakub Erben

doi:10.3390/polym13132098

Abstract

The electrospinning process that produces fine nanofibrous materials have a major disadvantage in the area of productivity. However, alternating current (AC) electrospinning might help to solve the problem via the modification of high voltage signal. The aforementioned productivity aspect can be observed via a camera system that focuses on the jet creation area and that measures the average lifespan. The paper describes the optimization of polyamide 6 (PA 6) solutions and demonstrates the change in the behavior of the process following the addition of a minor dose of oxoacid. This addition served to convert the previously unspinnable (using AC) solution to a high-quality electrospinning solution. The visual analysis of the AC electrospinning of polymeric solutions using a high-speed camera and a programmable power source was chosen as the method for the evaluation of the quality of the process. The solutions were exposed to high voltage applying two types of AC signal, i.e., the sine wave and the step change. All the recordings presented in the paper contained two sets of data: firstly, camera recordings that showed the visual expression of electrospinning and, secondly, signal recordings that provided information on the data position in the signal function.

Highlights

The current high demand for ultra-fine fibers has led to the rapid development of several technological approaches for the production of such materials
The basic polyamide 6 (PA 6) solution behaved as expected while exposed to alternating current (AC) high voltage driven by the sine wave
The experimental results led to the conclusion that a minor difference in the composition of the polymeric solution led to a major change in the spinning behavior when exposed to an AC electric field

Summary

Introduction

The current high demand for ultra-fine fibers has led to the rapid development of several technological approaches for the production of such materials. Development of complex forms of DC electrospinning of solutions contained techniques such as side-by-side [6], coaxial [7], tri-axial [8,9], or multiple-fluid systems spinning [10,11]. Such rapid development in the spinning systems was not followed by a detailed examination of the spinning processes. This paper offers a simple visual method of single fluid process observation that could be useful for the more complex methods mentioned above

Methods

Results

Conclusion