High-Throughput Free Surface Electrospinning Using Solution Reservoirs with Different Depths and Its Preparation Mechanism Study

For obtaining high-throughput production of nanofibers, the preparation mechanism of a self-made spherical section free surface electrospinning (SSFSE) using solution reservoirs with different depths was studied. The effects of the solution reservoir depth on the SSFSE process as well as the quality and yield of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were investigated experimentally using high-speed camera, precise electronic balance and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the results were analyzed theoretically by response surface methodology (RSM) and numerical simulation. The values predicted by the established RSM model and the electric field results obtained by Maxwell 3D were all consistent with the experimental data, which showed that the different depths of the solution reservoir had little effect on the quality of PAN nanofibers, but had great effects on the yields of them. The PAN nanofibers prepared have the best quality and the highest yields when the maximum depth of the solution reservoir was 4.29 mm.