Effect of Electric Current on Beads Formation in Electrospinning of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)

Abstract

We investigate effects of electric current on formations of beads in electrospinning by changing an electric conductivity of a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) aqueous solution and spinning conditions, such as applied voltage, distance between a tip of needle and a collector, and relative humidity. From the results of experiments done by changing the conductivity of PVA aqueous solution and spinning conditions, we found that a beads formation is suppressed at a lower electric current. Furthermore, when the electrospinnings are performed at a certain constant electric current in various spinning conditions where the applied voltage and tip-collector distance are changed so as to give the same constant electric current, resultant PVA fibers have no beads and almost the same distribution of fiber diameter.