Summary
Electrospinning is now a mature technology used across many fields, and the versatility of its fibres - shapeable, functionalisable - explains why. This study turns the question around and examines the environmental cost: the solvents consumed, the energy required and the waste generated in producing electrospun fibres. It is an unusual and welcome perspective in a literature dominated by performance claims, and it provides the quantitative basis for choosing greener solvents and more efficient process configurations.
Authors & Affiliations
Linari Electrospinning Systems
Linari Engineering electrospinning system
The fibrous mats were produced on a Linari Engineering S.r.l. system and dried of residual solvent at room temperature. Solvent handling is central to the environmental question raised here - which is why an external air treatment unit with solvent extraction is offered on our larger systems.