Electric Field as a Tool for In-situ Twisting Nanofibers During the Electrospinning Process

Electrospun nanofibers have found numerous applications in various areas from sensing to filtering and tissue engineering. However, handling of individual nanofibers is a challenge due to the small dimensions of produced fibres. Here we are presenting an approach for in-situ twisting of polymer nanofiber during the electrospinning process. Polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning and twisted together by introducing a rotating electric field between the needle and the collector. Effect of varying the frequency of electric field rotation on the period of nanofibers twisting was studied. We further demonstrate improvements in mechanical properties of obtained twisted nanofibers compared to the bulk material. The technique is simple and offers a scalable solution for the development threads of nanofibers that retain the desired properties of nanofibers while making them significantly easier to handle.