Summary
Whether an electrospinning run yields smooth nanofibres or defective “bead-on-string” structures is governed largely by the properties of the starting polymer solution. This work systematically characterises aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solutions — their viscosity, surface tension, conductivity and related physical parameters — and correlates them with the morphology and diameter of the nanofibres produced. Across the conditions studied, only an optimal combination of solution properties allowed continuous, smooth fibres to form, while unsuitable parameters left the polymer chains incompletely stretched and produced beaded fibres. Measurements from several complementary methods agreed well, yielding practical correlations that can be used to predict electrospinning behaviour and to select solution conditions that reliably give uniform PVA nanofibres.