Functionalized nanowires from electrospun polymer nanofibers

The ability to pattern materials in three dimensions is critical for several emerging technologies,;., including photonics, mu fluidics, MEMS, and biomaterials. Electrospinning allows one to functionalized and rapidly fabricate materials in complex three-dimensional shapes without the need for expensive tooling, dies, or lithographic masks. Here, recent advances in functionalization techniques are reviewed with an emphasis on the push toward patterning finer feature sizes. Effects of material and process parameters on the diameter of electrospun Poly Ethylene Oxide (PEO) fibers were experimentally investigated. Experiments were conducted at the settings of solution flow rate, voltage and the collector distance. It also imparted the evaluation of the significance of each parameter on the resultant fiber diameter. All the factors were found statistically significant in the production of nanoscale fibers. Opportunities and challenges associated with electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile fibers are also highlighted.