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Merck

Needleless electrospinning with twisted wire spinneret.

Nanotechnology (2014-12-17)
Jani Holopainen, Toni Penttinen, Eero Santala, Mikko Ritala
ABSTRACT

A needleless electrospinning setup named 'Needleless Twisted Wire Electrospinning' was developed. The polymer solution is electrospun from the surface of a twisted wire set to a high voltage and collected on a cylindrical collector around the wire. Multiple Taylor cones are simultaneously self-formed on the downward flowing solution. The system is robust and simple with no moving parts aside from the syringe pump used to transport the solution to the top of the wire. The structure and process parameters of the setup and the results on the preparation of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioglass fibers with the setup are presented. PVP fiber sheets with areas of 40 × 120 cm(2) and masses up to 1.15 g were prepared. High production rates of 5.23 g h(-1) and 1.40 g h(-1) were achieved for PVP and HA respectively. The major limiting factor of the setup is drying of the polymer solution on the wire during the electrospinning process which will eventually force to interrupt the process for cleaning of the wire. Possible solutions to this problem and other ways to develop the setup are discussed. The presented system provides a simple way to increase the production rate and area of fiber sheet as compared with the conventional needle electrospinning.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Tetraethyl orthosilicate, SAJ first grade, ≥95.0%
Sigma-Aldrich
Tetraethyl orthosilicate, ≥99.0% (GC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Tetraethyl orthosilicate, reagent grade, 98%
Sigma-Aldrich
Tetraethyl orthosilicate, 99.999% trace metals basis
Pyrrolidone, European Pharmacopoeia (EP) Reference Standard
Sigma-Aldrich
Tetraethyl orthosilicate, packaged for use in deposition systems
Sigma-Aldrich
2-Pyrrolidinone, purum, ≥98.0% (GC)
Sigma-Aldrich
2-Pyrrolidinone, ≥99%
Sigma-Aldrich
2-Pyrrolidinone, 99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Triethyl phosphate, ReagentPlus®, ≥99.8%