Electrostatic Accumulation-Induced Auxiliary Field and Coaxial Airflow for Jet Convergence in Electrospinning

Abstract

Controlling the stability of the charged jet during the electrospinning process remains a critical challenge for achieving precision in electrospinning and optimizing the structural design of nanofibers. This research introduces a novel electrospinning technique, termed Airflow Synergistic Electrostatic Field (ASEF) focusing. During the electrospinning process, the charged jet is guided through a perforated insulating plate by coaxial airflow. The charges accumulate around the holes, creating electrostatic lenses that focus the jet. The results indicate that this method not only suppresses jet oscillation, ensuring precise deposition of the spinning jet, but also improves the nanofibrous structure, thereby altering its mechanical properties and morphological features. Orthogonal experiments and finite element method simulations were employed to optimize and provide theoretical validation for the technique. Under optimized conditions (20 cm spinning distance, 20 kV voltage, 20 kPa airflow pressure, and a 5 cm auxiliary electric field), the spinning jet deposition area was successfully reduced to 4.0 cm². Finally, a proof-of-concept experiment using eggshells as a model substantiated the ASEF technique's potential for precise deposition of electrospun fibers and its encapsulation performance, offering new possibilities for biomedical applications such as non-invasive wound repair.