Effects of electrostatic polarity and the types of electrical charging on electrospinning behavior

In this study, we examined the effect of applied electrostatic voltages and the types of electrical charging on jet movement, fiber productivity, fiber diameter and deposited configuration by two inverse polarity systems, termed as spinneret and collector charging systems. Jet movement parameters such as Taylor cone, straight jet length, whipping angle, and pitch of whipping loop are examined and compared. The results show that the electronegative collector charging system or the electropositive spinneret charging system is superior to their contrastive system in terms of smaller fiber diameter, compact fiber deposited configuration, and higher fiber productivity. Optimal applied voltage found was 25 kV for electronegative collector charging system and 30 kV for electropositive spinneret charging system and resulted in finest fiber diameter (209 nm for electronegative collector charging system and 247 nm for electropositive spinneret charging system). Polyvinyl acetate solution jet is easier to be ejected, stretched, and accelerated under electropositive charging. The spinning jet with electropositive charges can be achieved either in the spinneret charging system by using electropositive charger or in the collector charging system by using electronegative charger. This finding is an important guideline for the designing of electrospinning device. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012