Electrospinning: a fascinating method for the preparation of ultrathin fibers.
Electrospinning is a highly versatile method to process solutions or melts, mainly of polymers, into continuous fibers with diameters ranging from a few micrometers to a few nanometers. This technique is applicable to virtually every soluble or fusible polymer. The polymers can be chemically modified and can also be tailored with additives ranging from simple carbon-black particles to complex species such as enzymes, viruses, and bacteria. Electrospinning appears to be straightforward, but is a rather intricate process that depends on a multitude of molecular, process, and technical parameters. The method provides access to entirely new materials, which may have complex chemical structures. Electrospinning is not only a focus of intense academic investigation; the technique is already being applied in many technological areas.
Greiner
Andreas
A
Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany. greiner@staff.uni-marburg.de
Wendorff
Joachim H
JH