Quantitative relationship between electrospinning parameters and starch fiber diameter

► Fractional factorial experimental design in a constrained region. ► Empirical modeling of the relationship between selected process parameters and starch fiber diameter. ► Contour plots used to predict the direction to minimize and maximize the starch fiber diameter. The diameter of the starch fibers produced by electrospinning is a key parameter for most potential applications. In this study, a quantitative relationship between fiber diameter and certain electrospinning parameters, i.e. starch concentration, applied voltage, spinning distance and feed rate, was established by empirical modeling using a fractional factorial experimental design in a constrained region. Response surface methodology was employed to analyze the interactions of the electrospinning parameters and predict the direction to minimize and maximize the fiber diameters.