Accurate fabrication of aligned nanofibers via a double-nozzle near-field electrospinning

Abstract

The near-field electrospinning is considered as one of the most effective techniques to direct-write aligned fibers which can be applied to various high-tech areas, including energy harvester, tissue engineering, and wearable sensors. For large area aligned pattern printing, the multi-nozzle electrohydrodynamic print-ing is an efficient method to enhance productivity. As a branch of electrohydro-dynamic printing technology, the near-field electrospinning is a crucial concern to make an investigation for the formation of aligned nanofibers. Here we fabricated various nanostructures from beaded fibers to aligned fibers and crimped fibers by the double-nozzle near-field electrospinning process. We found three key parameters affecting the process, including the collector speed, the applied voltage, and the electrode-to-collector distance, and the collector speed is the key factor affecting the crimped frequency. This paper provides a reliable experi-mental basis and theoretical guidance for the multi-nozzle near-field electrospin-ning to accurately direct-write microfibers and nanofibers.