High-aspect-ratio three-dimensional electrospinning via a tip guiding electrode

Abstract

Electrospinning setup with a sharp tip guiding electrode has been designed for high-aspect-ratio three-dimensional (3D) electrospinning by enhancing the electrical field strength to guide nanofibers toward designated paths layer by layer. This setup helps to deposit nanofibers under a steady charge transfer process and overcomes the electrical interferences. The polymer jet via the electrohydrodynamic process has been used to direct-write ordered, 3D structures with the aspect-ratio (height/width) up to 25 for various patterns, such as rectangular grids and five-point stars. Experimental results show the deposited nanofibers can form 3D high-aspect-ratio structures with uniform nanofiber diameter and good position accuracy higher than 1.5 μm.