title: Improving polymer nanofiber quality using a modified co-axial electrospinning process.
abstract: Based on a modified coaxial electrospinning process and suitable selection of solvent mixtures as sheath fluid, a new strategy is presented for systematically improving polymer nanofiber quality. A concentric spinneret with an indented inner capillary is designed for the modified coaxial electrospinning. With a solution of 12% w/v PVP K60 in ethanol as the core electrospinning fluid, six solvents are used as sheath fluids to investigate the impact of solvent properties on the resultant PVP nanofiber quality. The PVP nanofiber quality is closely related to solvent physical-chemical properties. High quality PVP nanofibers of average diameter 130 ±10 nm with homogeneous structures and smooth surfaces are created using a solvent mixture of acetone, ethanol and DMAc in the ratio of 3:1:1(v/v/v).
authors: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, China. ydg017@dhu.edu.cn
authors: Deng-Guang
authors: DG
authors: Yu
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Branford-White
authors: S W Annie
authors: SW
authors: Bligh
authors: Kenneth
authors: K
authors: White
authors: Nicholas P
authors: NP
authors: Chatterton
authors: Li-Min
authors: LM
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers