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rom 1936 to today: How has melt electrospinning technology evolved and opened a new era of 3D printing
As a method for manufacturing fiber structures, melt electrospinning technology has gradually evolved and expanded its application areas since it was first described in 1936, especially in tissue engineering, textiles and filtration materials. The development of this technology not only changes the way we process polymers, but also opens up new possibilities for 3D printing technology.
Melt electrospinning is not just a simple processing of polymers, but also a revolution in materials science, providing solutions for a variety of industries in a solvent-free way.
The history of melt electrospinning dates back to 1936 when Charles Norton first described the technique. After decades of silence, in 1981, Larrendo and Manley re-proposed melt electrospinning in a series of papers. Subsequently, in 2001, Reinecke and Langukun published a conference abstract pointing out the application of melt electrospinning in vacuum. As time went by, more and more research was done on this technology. In 2011, melt electrospinning was combined with a mobile collector to propose a new 3D printing method.
Basic principles of melt electrospinning technology
The core principle of melt electrospinning technology is based on the physics of electrostatic fiber stretching. The physical properties of the polymer melt in melt electrospinning have a higher viscosity compared to solution electrospinning, thus allowing the drawn charged jet to form fibers more predictably. In melt electrospinning, the molten charged jet needs to be cooled to achieve solidification, while solution electrospinning relies on the evaporation of the solvent.
Key parameters of melt electrospinning
1. TemperatureA certain temperature must be maintained to ensure that all the polymer is melted at the nozzle tip. Compared with solution electrospinning, the nozzle length of melt electrospinning is relatively short.
2. TrafficFlow rate is one of the main parameters affecting fiber diameter. Generally speaking, the greater the flow rate, the larger the fiber diameter. In melt electrospinning, all flowing polymers are collected, avoiding the problem of solvent volatilization.
3. Molecular weightMolecular weight is critical to the suitability of a polymer for melt electrospinning. Typically, low molecular weight (less than 30,000 g/mol) of linear homogeneous polymers will result in fiber breakage and poor quality, while high molecular weight (greater than 100,000 g/mol) polymers will not flow easily through the nozzle. Many reports of melt electrospun fibers use molecular weights between 40,000 and 80,000 g/mol.
4. VoltageAdjusting the voltage does not have much effect on the fiber diameter, but the production of high-quality, stable fibers requires an optimal voltage. The voltage used in melt electrospinning ranges from 0.7 kV to 60 kV.
Applications of melt electrospinning
Melt electrospinning technology has a wide range of applications, especially in tissue engineering. Since no solvent-containing processing methods are used, this has huge benefits in stimulating cell proliferation and repairing tissues. In addition, melt electrospinning is also a feasible solution for some difficult-to-dissolve polymers, such as polypropylene or polyethylene.
Melt electrospinning is no longer just a fiber manufacturing technology, it may become one of the key technologies to change the industry landscape.
Tissue Engineering
Melt electrospinning has been used to process biomedical materials for use in tissue engineering research. This approach deepens its potential for medical applications by avoiding the use of toxic volatile solvents.
Drug delivery
In addition, melt electrospinning technology can also prepare drug-loaded fibers to form drug delivery systems. This undoubtedly provides a new formulation technology for pharmaceutical technology, which helps to improve drug solubility and control the release rate.
Melt electrospinning writing
Melt electrospinning writing (MEW) uses a controlled electric current to precisely deposit polymer fibers to form structures, a process that has made it widely used in 3D printing. The development of MEW technology has promoted the potential applications of high-performance sensors, flexible robots and other biofabrication.
The development of melt electrospinning technology since 1936 has demonstrated an exciting revolution in materials science, and its introduction into 3D printing means that future technological innovations will continue to evolve. As the technology continues to mature, we can expect melt electrospinning to be used in more industries. So, how will this technology change our daily lives?
