On the Measured Current in Electrospinning
Author(s)
Bhattacharjee, P. K.; Schneider, T. M.; Brenner, M. P.; McKinley, Gareth H; Rutledge, Gregory C
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The origin and scaling of the current measured during steady electrospinning of polymer solutions in organic solvents are considered. For a specified electric field strength E, flow rate Q, and conductivity K, the total measured current is shown empirically to scale as Itotal ∼ EQ0.5K0.4, for a wide variety of polymer solutions with different electrical conductivities. It is also shown that Itotal is composed of two distinct components: one that varies linearly with E, and another that is independent of E, but varies with the conductivity K of the fluid and the flow rate Q. The experimental evidence suggests that the latter component arises due to a secondary electrospray emanating from the surface of the jet. The consequence of this secondary electrospray mechanism on the final fiber size achieved during the electrospinning process is also discussed.
Date issued
2010-02Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemical Engineering; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical EngineeringJournal
Journal of Applied Physics
Publisher
American Institute of Physics
Citation
Bhattacharjee, P. K. et al. “On the measured current in electrospinning.” Journal of Applied Physics 107.4 (2010): 044306.
Version: Author's final manuscript
ISSN
0021-8979