Self-powered electrospinning apparatus based on a hand-operated Wimshurst generator.
A conventional electrospinning setup cannot work without a plug (electricity supply). In this article, we report a self-powered electrospinning setup based on a hand-operated Wimshurst generator. The new device has better applicability and portability than a typical conventional electrospinning setup because it is lightweight and can work without an external power supply. Experimental parameters of the apparatus such as the minimum number of handle turns to generate enough energy to spin, rotation speed of the handle and electrospinning distance were investigated. Different polymers such as polystyrene (PS), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) were electrospun into ultrathin fibers successfully by this apparatus. The stability, reliability, and repeatability of the new apparatus demonstrate that it can be used as not only a demonstrator for an electrospinning process, but also a beneficial complement to conventional electrospinning especially where or when without a power supply, and may be used in wound healing and rapid hemostasis, etc.
College of Physics, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China. yunze.long@163.com han_wenpeng@163.com.
Wen-Peng
WP
Han
Yuan-Yuan
YY
Huang
Miao
M
Yu
Jun-Cheng
JC
Zhang
Xu
X
Yan
Gui-Feng
GF
Yu
Hong-Di
HD
Zhang
Shi-Ying
SY
Yan
Yun-Ze
YZ
Long
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D004595:Electroplating / Q000379:methods*; D004735:Energy Transfer; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D008422:Materials Testing; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012399:Rotation
D011108:Polymers