Dual electric field induced alignment of electrospun nanofibers

Authors

Manoranjan Acharya, Michigan Technological University
Ganesh Kumar Arumugam, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow
Patricia Heiden, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-13-2008

Department

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Department of Chemistry

Abstract

A dual-field method is described to produce aligned fibers by electrospinning. By applying a secondary electric field perpendicular to the primary field, control over the orientation of the fibers on the collector is obtained. The dual-field approach is used in conjunction with dual electrodes and I rotating collector. Both approaches were used to electrospin poly(lactic acid) fibers under conditions intended to produce fibers with a diameter greater then 400 nm to aid observation by optical microscopy and digital photography. Digital photography was used to visualize a large area of aligned fiber and image analysis software was used to quantify the degree of alignment. Fibers aligned with the aid of a dual field showed better alignment than those from a single electric field under otherwise identical conditions.

Publisher's Statement

© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. Publisher’s version of record: https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.200800053

Publication Title

Macromolecular Materials and Engineering

Recommended Citation

Acharya, M., Arumugam, G., & Heiden, P. (2008). Dual electric field induced alignment of electrospun nanofibers. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 293(8), 666-674. http://doi.org/10.1002/mame.200800053
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/3766