Improving electrospinning process by numerical analysis of 3-D computer models

Abstract

Purpose

Electrospinning is a method of the polymer super thin fibres formation by the electrostatic field. The distribution of electrostatic field affects the effectiveness of the electrospinning.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents various computer models that can improve the electrospinning process. The possibilities of modelling the electrostatic field in the design of electrospinning equipment are presented.

Findings

In the research part, the one focussed on finding a cylinder-shaped collector structure to limit the adverse effect of an uneven distribution of the electric field intensity on the collector.

Originality/value

The paper concerns the improvement of the electrospinning process with the use of electrostatic field modelling. In the first part, several possible applications of electrostatic models have been indicated, thanks to which the efficiency of the process has been improved. The original solution of the collector geometry was presented, which according to the authors, in comparison with previous models, gives the most promising results. In this solution, it was possible to obtain an even distribution of the electric field intensity while removing the unfavourable effect of the field strength increase on the outer edges of the collector. The most important aspect in this paper is electric field strength analysis.

Citation

Firych-Nowacka, A., Smolka, K. and Wiak, S. (2019), "Improving electrospinning process by numerical analysis of 3-D computer models", COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, Vol. 38 No. 4, pp. 1098-1110. https://doi.org/10.1108/COMPEL-11-2018-0450