Abstract:

Electrospinning is a process by which electrostatic field super thin fibres from polymer solution or polymer melt are produced. This study is a theoretical analysis of the distribution of the electrostatic field forming around spinning points in the area where polymer streams are formed and stretched. The model parameters were as follows: the number of capillaries, the distance between the capillaries, the capillary tip – including the electrode distance and the value of the supply voltage. The modelling was undertaken for 3 cm fixed length capillary tubes. The electrostatic field distribution was modelled with the use of Maxwell SV software. The increase in the distance between the capillary tip and the collector causes a drop in the strength value of the electrostatic field that forms in direct proximity to the capillaries, regardless of their position to one another. In the case of an increase in the supply voltage value, an increase in the strength value of the electrostatic field around the capillaries was observed. Next, an experiment was performed for selected modelling conditions. Using solutions of dibutyrylchitin, electrospinning tests were carried out. The influence of the process conditions and, consequently, the electrostatic field distribution on the fibre geometry was studied. For each test the transverse dimension values and the shape of the cross section area of the fibres were determined.