I am using a rotary drum collector(diameter:10 cm and length:25 cm) to produce PAN nanofibers (Needle Gauge:22 and needle to center of collector distance: 16 cm). The problem is that in most experiments, the center of drum is covered by nanofibers (15 cm wide) and the edges are poorly covered (5 cm on each side). Any idea how to cover all the surface?
It seems as if the spot size you are generating is not big enough. You could increase the distance form the collector to the tip keeping the field constant (so increase the voltage). an easy way would be to use 2 needles with a certain distance to each other e.g. 10 cm..then you can cover more of your collector with an additional advantage: you generate the double amount of fibers in the same time..
also, you could check the charge distribution on your collector. What is it made of? are the charges maybe accumulated in the middle generating a stronger field which forces your fibers to go there..
Hi,
just try to play with the shift of the drum along its axis. May be it is sufficient to increase the amplitude of this movement to get reasonable covering of the drum.
Dear Pascal, I use a solid aluminium rod that is finely polished and is carried by two bearings. I connected the positive potential (18 KV) to needle and negative potential (2 kv) to one on the collector bearings. How I can check the charge distribution?
if you use a solid aluminium rod the charge /conductivity should not be an issue. maybe you are able to use some wiper contacts fom the inside by using a aluminium tube-like construction. you can use multiple contacts then.
Dear Mehrdad Taheran,
In my (little) experience you have three possibilities, without changing any electrospinning parameters, which at this point you probably have already tuned.
1) [and most important] Mount on your system a linear motor that moves the spinneret in parallel to the collector, so that the needle passes at the same distance from every point of the collector, you will observe a tremendous change;
2) Connect the ground or opposite voltage pole to both ends of the collector, not just one side;
3) Consider positioning the collector in parallel to the fume hood's window (perpendicular to the flow of air), so fibres are evenly deposited.
Best regards,
Sebastião
In line with Nanospinner24 it is also a very impressive system called 4spin. This has different spinnerets and collector types, easily replaceable, with a controlled humidity and air flow velocity for different solvent volatilities. All in a completely closed environment arranged in a desktop type of equipment.
https://www.4spin.info/
Dear Mehrdad Taheran, you could place a sharpened electrode inside the rotating drum. Moving the auxiliary electrode along the collector will guide the deposition of the electrospun fibres.
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