Development of a low-cost electrospinning system with a bidirectional collector for uniform nanofibrous membranes

Abstract

The electrospinning process is a widely used technique for the fabrication of membranes with nanometric fibers, employing polymeric materials such as polyvinylidene fluoride and polycaprolactone. The shape of the fiber collector, whether static or rotating, significantly impacts membrane uniformity. Although rotating drum collectors are the most used, they exhibit drawbacks such as uneven fiber accumulation. Current solutions, which favor rotating over static collectors, tend to be more expensive and complex. This article presents an electrospinning setup that utilizes a flat acrylic plate with bidirectional movement along the X and Y axes, enhancing fiber collection and membrane uniformity. This design improves process efficiency, fiber reproducibility, and system scalability. Polystyrene electrospun nanofibrous membranes were fabricated, and their average fiber diameter and pore size were analyzed, demonstrating the system’s capability to produce micro- and nanometric fibers.