The Fundamentals of Electrostatic Spinning

Abstract

A mathematical analysis is presented of the movement of a single fiber in a high, uniform and also nonuniform electrostatic field. In the present analysis the resistance of the air to a moving fiber is first assumed to be proportional to the square of the speed of the fiber concerned, and secondly the use of Stokes' law is made to express the same resistance. The fiber final-limiting speed, entry speed, and acceleration into the spindle-electrode are calculated. It is shown that in pratice the production by an electrostatic spinning machine could safely be about twenty or more times higher than that of a conventional ring-spinning machine. The equation of the path of a single fiber in a nonuniform electrostatic field is derived.