High throughput fabrication of zirconium titanate nanofibers by using alternating field electrospinning

•High-throughput fabrication of nanofibrous zirconium titanate demonstrated;•First time application of alternating force electrospinning for Zr0.5Ti0.5O2;•Nanofibrous Zr0.5Ti0.5O2 is stable up to 1200 °C. Nanofibrous zirconium titanate (Zr0.5Ti0.5O2) was derived from precursor fibers spun with a high-yield, free-surface alternating force electrospinning (AFES). A process productivity of 8.7 g/h was achived in terms of the mass of crystallized Zr0.5Ti0.5O2 nanofibers. The average fiber diameters varied from 185 to 380 nm, depending on the annealing temperature and precursor composition. The onset crystallization temperature of the nanofibers was observed at ∼ 640 °C irrespective to the alkoxide/polymer ratio in precursor fibers, heating rate, and fiber diameter. Nanofibrous Zr0.5Ti0.5O2 maintained its nanocrystallinity, phase stability, and fiber integrity between 600 and 1200 °C. The results demonstrate strong potential of AFES for scalable production of nanofibrous zirconium titanate for demanding applications.