Development of precision pump and high voltage DC-regulator for electrospinning apparatus: experimental test with preparation of PVA microfiber

Abstract

Abstract A digital “micro-controller-based” electrospinning apparatus was developed. The system mainly used a precision pump equipped with 20 kV and a high voltage DC regulator utilizing a used flyback transformer. Electronic circuit and power blocks evaluation has shown the linear characteristic. The setting parameters such as flow rate and total volume were calibrated by using a measuring-cylinder and a digital stopwatch. The result showed a linear trend, verified by the correlation coefficient between given and measured flow rate at R≈1. The precision pump can operate at 0.5 ml/hour (8.3 micro-liters per minute) using the 12 ml standard syringe. An 0.5 mm inner diameter needle was used in the integrated experimental and performance test. The testing material was the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution at ambient condition (room temperature and standard pressure). At fix 12 cm distance between electrodes, one hour experiment, and flow rate variation. Some experimental tests resulted in membranes contained 36-61 microns diameter of stacked PVA fiber. Finally, the microfiber diameter distribution was analysed using image processing software. The result showed the dependencies of the size distribution to the flow-rate and applied voltage.