ELECTROSPINNING OF

NANOFIBERS
 NANOFIBERS
With dimension of 100 nanometers (nm) or
less (National Science Foundation, India)
As defined by the Non – woven
industry, nanofiber is any fiber that has a
diameter of less than 1 micron (<1000 nm)
(Hegde, R.R. et al, 2005).
 NANOFIBERS

Figure 1. Comparison between human hair and nanofiber web [1].

 NANOFIBERS

Figure 2. Entrapped pollen spore on nanofiber web [1].

 NANOFIBERS

Figure 3. Comparison of red blood cell with nanofibers web [1].

 NANOFIBERS

Figure 4. Ultra – Web® Nanofiber Filter Media used commercially.

(taken from Grafe, 2003)
 First nanofibers produced in the Material
Science Lab, IMSP, UPLB

Figure 5. Polycaprolactone nanofiber (a) and (b) has fiber diameters

between 273 nm to 547 nm. SEM taken with 10,000X magnification.
(J.I.Zerrudo, E.A.Florido, 2008)
 First nanofibers produced in the Material
Science Lab, IMSP, UPLB

Figure 6. 75:25 Polycaprolactone(PCL)/Polyethylene Oxide (PEO)

blend nano 10,000X magnification.
(J.I.Zerrudo, E.A.Florido, SPP Physics Congress, October 2008)
 First nanofibers produced in the Material
Science Lab, IMSP, UPLB

Figure 7. SEM Micrograph of Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) nanofibers

With diameter range of 59nm-126 nm.
(J.Clarito, E.A.Florido, October 2008)
 First nanofibers produced in the Material
Science Lab, IMSP, UPLB

Figure 8. SEM Micrograph of Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) nanofibers

with diameters of 86 nm, 194 nm, 201 nm.
(J.Clarito, E.A.Florido, October 2008)
 First nanofibers produced in the Material
Science Lab, IMSP, UPLB

Figure 9. SEM Micrograph of Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) nanofiber

mesh.
(J.Clarito, E.A.Florido, October 2008)
 First nanofibers produced in the Material
Science Lab, IMSP, UPLB

Figure 10. SEM Micrograph of Polyvinyl chloride nanofiber with

at least 76 nm diameter.
(J.Garcia, E.A.Florido, February 2009)
 First nanofibers produced in the Material
Science Lab, IMSP, UPLB

Figure 11. 22 nm-diameter polyvinyl chloride nanofiber with

a porous microfiber in the background.
(J.Garcia, E.A.Florido, February 2009)
 Applications of Nanofibers
Material Reinforcements and filters
(BHOWMICK, S. A. Et al. 2006)
 Tissue and Organ Implants (RAMAKRISHNA,
S.M., et al. 2004)
 Extra Cellular Matrix (QUEEN, 2006)
Tissue engineering scaffolds Wound dressing Medical prostheses
- Adjustable biodegradation rate - Prevents scar - Lower stress concentration
- Better cell attachment - Bacterial shielding - Higher fracture strength
- Controllable cell directional growth

Haemostatic devices
Drug delivery
- Higher efficiency in fluid
- Increased dissolution rate absorption
- Drug-nanofiber interlace

Cosmetics Sensor devices

Polymer
- Higher sensitivity
- Higher utilization Nanofiber - For cells, arteries and veins
- Higher transfer rate

Filter media Electrical conductors

- Higher filter efficiency - Ultra small devices

Protective clothing Material reinforcement Optical applications

- Breathable fabric that - Higher fracture toughness - Liquid crystal optical shutters
blocks chemicals - Higher delamination resistance

Ramakrishna et al. 2004

 ELECTROSPINNING
Uses high voltage to draw very fine fibers
(micro- or nano-scale) from a liquid (soloution
or melt).
The high voltage produces an electrically
charged jet of polymer solution or melt, which
dries or solidifies leaving a polymer fiber
 the process was patented in 1934 by
Formhals [2-4]
 ELECTROSPINNING

Figure 12. Schematic of Electrospinning Process

Courtesy: www.che.vt.edu
 ELECTROSPINNING

Figure 13 The distribution of charge in the fiber

changes as the fiber dries out during flight
Figure 14. Electrospinning set-up in the IMSP Physics
Division Materials Science Laboratory.
J.I.Zerrudo, E.A. Florido
 Taylor Cone
 refers to the cone observed in
electrospinning, electrospraying and
hydrodynamic spray processes from which a jet
of charged particles emanates above a threshold
voltage
 was described by Sir Geoffrey Ingram Taylor in
1964 before electrospray was "discovered“
 to form a perfect cone required a semi-vertical
angle of 49.3° (a whole angle of 98.6°) , the shape
of such a cone approached the theoretical shape
just before jet formation – Taylor Angle
 Taylor Cone
• Taylor angle. This angle is more precisely
where is the first zero of (the
Legendre polynomial of order 1/2).
two assumptions:
(1) that the surface of the cone is an
equipotential surface and
(2) that the cone exists in a steady state
equilibrium
 Taylor Cone
Potential

Equipotential surface
The zero of the Legendre polynomial between 0 and pi
is 130.70990 which is the complement (supplement)
of the Taylor angle.
 Taylor Cone
• When a sufficiently high voltage is applied to a
liquid droplet, the body of the liquid becomes
charged, and electrostatic repulsion
counteracts the surface tension and droplet is
stretched, at a critical point a stream of liquid
erupts from the surface. This point of eruption
is known as the Taylor cone
 Classical liquid jet
 0.1mm  Orifice – 0.1mm
Primary jet diameter ~ 0.2mm
Micro-jet diameter ~ 0.005mm
Gravitational, mechanical or
 electrostatic pulling limited to
 l/d ~ 1000 by capillary
instability
To reach nano-range:
jet thinning ~10-3
draw ratio ~106 !

NANOFIBRES T. A.
Kowalewski, A. L. Yarin & S.
Błoński, EFMC 2003,
Toulouse
Taylor Cone.
J.T.Garcia, E.A. Florido
 Electrospinning

v=0.1m/s
moving charges e
bending force on charge
e
E~ 105V/m

viscoelastic and
surface tension
resistance

Moving charges (ions) interacting with electrostatic field amplify bending

instability, surface tension and viscoelasticity counteract these forces
NANOFIBRES T. A. Kowalewski, A. L.
Yarin & S. Błoński, EFMC 2003,
Toulouse
 Electro-spinning
Simple model for elongating viscoelastic thread

Stress balance:  - viscosity, G – elastic modulus stress,

 stress tensor, dl/dt – thread elongation

Momentum balance: Vo – voltage, e –

charge, a – thread radius, h- distance pipette-
collector

Kinematic condition for thread velocity v

Non-dimensional length of the thread

as a function of electrostatic potential

NANOFIBRES T. A. Kowalewski, A. L. Yarin & S. Błoński, EFMC 2003, Toulouse

 Electro-spinning
bending instability of electro-spun jet

charges moving along spiralling path

E ~ 105V/m

Bending instability enormously increases path of the jet, allowing to solve problem: how to
decrease jet diameter 1000 times or more without increasing distance to tenths of kilometres
NANOFIBRES T. A. Kowalewski, A. L. Yarin & S. Błoński, EFMC 2003, Toulouse
 Parameters
1. Molecular Weight, Molecular-Weight Distribution and
Architecture (branched, linear etc.) of the polymer
2. Solution properties (viscosity, conductivity & and
surface tension)
3. Electric potential, Flow rate & Concentration
4. Distance between the capillary and collection screen
5. Ambient parameters (temperature, humidity and air
velocity in the chamber)
6. Motion of target screen (collector)
Figure 14. Electrospinning set-up in the IMSP Physics
Division Materials Science Laboratory.
J.I.Zerrudo, E.A. Florido
Fibers produced during electrospinning.
J.I.Zerrudo, E.A. Florido
Fibers produced during electrospinning.
J.I.Zerrudo, E.A. Florido
PVC Fibers produced during electrospinning.
J.T.Garcia, E.A. Florido
PVC Fibers produced during electrospinning.
J.T.Garcia, E.A. Florido
A.O.Advincula, E.A. Florido
J.C. La Rosa, E.A. Florido
 Electrospinning in MatPhy
Lab, IMSP, UPLB
1. PEO microfibers, Jennette Rabo, Maricon R.
Amada, 2006
2. Polyaniline and Polyaniline/Polyester
microfibers, Jefferson D.
Diego, M.R.Amda, Emmanuel A.
Florido, 2006
3. Polycaprolactone/Polyethylene Oxide
nanofibers, Juzzel Ian Zerrudo, Emmanuel A.
Florid0, 2008
4. Polycaprolactone (pcl)/Polyethylene oxide
(peo)/iota carrageenan (ιcar) blends, Serafin M.
Lago III, Teoderick Barry R. Manguerra, 2008.
 Electrospinning in MatPhy
Lab, IMSP, UPLB
4. Poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide)(85:15) PLGA and
PLGA/Polycaprolactone (PCL)
nanofibers, Christian Joseph
Clarito, Emmanuel A. Florido, 2008
5. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) nanofibers from
scrap PVC pipes, Ben Jairus T. Garcia, 2009
Nanoresearch in UPLB: Physics Division, Institute of
Mathematical Sciences and Physics, CAS

• K.S.A. Revelar. An Investigation on the Morphological and

Antimicrobial Properties of Electrospun Silver Nanoparticle-
Functionalized Polyvinyl Chloride Nanofiber Membranes.
IMSP, UPLB. April 2010. Undergraduate Thesis, Adviser:
EAFlorido. Co-Adviser: R.B.Opulencia
• A.O.Advincula. Effect of varying Areas of Parallel Plates on
Fiber Diameter of Electrospun Polyvinyl Chloride. IMSP, UPLB.
April 2010. Undergraduate Thesis, Adviser: EAFlorido
• H.P.Halili. Effect of Solution Viscosity and Needle Diameter on
Fiber Diameter of Electrospun Polycaprolactone. IMSP, UPLB.
October 2010. Undergraduate Thesis, Adviser: EAFlorido. Co-
Adviser: J.I.B. Zerrudo
• J.C.M. La Rosa. Effects of Variation of Distance
Between Needle Tip and Collector On the Fabrication
of Polyaniline (PANI)-Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Blend
Nanofibers. IMSP, UPLB. April 2009. Undergraduate
Thesis, Co-Adviser: EAFlorido
• M.J.P.Gamboa. The Effects of Viscosity on the
Morphological Characteristics of Electrospun
Polyaniline-Polyvinyl Acetate (PAni-PVAc) Nanofibers.
IMSP, UPLB. April 2009. Undergraduate Thesis, Co-
Adviser: EAFlorido
• J.I.B. Zerrudo, E.A. Florido, M.R. Amada, Fabrication
of Polycaprolactone Nanofibers through
Electrospinning, Proceedings of the Samahang Pisika
ng Pilipinas, ISSN 1656-2666, vol. 5,October 22-
24, 2008.
• J.I.B. Zerrudo, E.A. Florido, M.R.
Amada, B.A.Basilia, Fabrication of
Polycaprolactone/Polyehtylene Oxide Nanofibers
through Electrospinning, Proceedings of the
Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas, ISSN 1656-
2666, vol. 5,October 22-24, 2008.
• B.J.Garcia. Morphological and Molecular
Characterization of Electrospun Polyvinyl
chloride-Polyaniline Nanofibers. IMSP, UPLB. April
2009. Undergraduate Thesis, Adviser: EAFlorido
• J.D. Diego. Electrospinning of Polyaniline and
Polyaniline/Polyester Based Fibers. IMSP, UPLB.
November 2006.Undergraduate Thesis, Adviser:
EAFlorido