About
Electrospinning is a technique that uses electrical forces to generate nanofibers. These nanofibers have a wide variety of applications that include: filtration membranes, wound dressings, and catalytic supports. The fibers are typically deposited randomly on a flat collection plate where they are then collected by the operator. However, certain applications for nanofibers require the fibers to exhibit degrees of alignment. To accomplish this, a variety of methods are employed such as using rotating or translating collectors. To expand the capabilities of our existing electrospinning apparatus, the student team set out to design rotating and translational collection systems that can function on their own, as well as be integrated together to work in tandem. The simultaneous rotating and translating motion of the integrated designs will produce nanofibers with a helical alignment. These designs will be integrated with the existing apparatus, be adjustable, and be controlled by Arduino and LabVIEW programming.