Improving Electrospinnability of Complex Solutions Through Integrated Chemistry-Processing Design

Electrospinning is growing as a production technology for many applications, both for conventional electrospun materials such as filters and membranes and for technical textiles in electronics, bioengineering, sensors and more. One challenge in electrospinning is the need for high molecular weight polymers, a requirement that often prevents formation of fibers with high proportions of functional materials that may include rigid polymers, particles, surfactants, cells, etc. Entanglements between linear polymer chains contribute to the transition from particles to beads-on-string to homogeneous fibers. However, complex new products are often unable to use high molecular weight linear polymers and reach a high degree of entanglement. We use tailored formulations to decrease the elasticity needed in the jet to prevent breakup into droplets, apply solvents that increase hydrogen bonding interactions in the polymer solutions to stabilize the jet and explore the use of multivalent hydrogen bonding additives to replace entanglements with molecular interactions in preventing droplet breakup. Throughout, we focus on understanding how the chemistry of the materials impacts the spinnability to expand the electrospinning processing window. By understanding how these complex formulation properties impact the ability to form fibers via electrospinning, we can rapidly respond to consumer needs as new products are developed for high value applications, including biomedical and electronic textiles.