Electrospinning of ethyl cellulose fibres with glass and steel needle configurations

Summary

The needle (spinneret) used in electrospinning is usually made of stainless steel, but the choice of needle material and configuration can influence how the charged jet forms and therefore the fibres produced. This study compares glass and steel needle configurations for the electrospinning of ethyl cellulose, a food-grade, water-insoluble polymer of interest for encapsulation and functional food structures. The authors examine how the two spinneret setups affect the electrospinning process and the morphology and diameter of the resulting ethyl-cellulose fibres, along with the processing conditions needed to obtain uniform fibres in each case. By contrasting a conventional metal needle with a glass configuration, the work clarifies how spinneret design contributes to control over fibre formation and offers practical guidance for producing ethyl-cellulose fibres for food-related applications.

Authors & Affiliations

• Bilal Ahmad

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London, UK
• Simeon Stoyanov

  Unilever Research, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
• Eddie Pelan

  Unilever Research, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
• Eleanor Stride

  Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• Mohan Edirisinghe Corresponding

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London, UK

Topics

Materials

Linari Electrospinning Systems