Open Access Conference Proceedings

Polymer nanofibers are unique materials with a high specific surface area, porous structure, and the possibility of precise morphology control. These properties make them promising materials for medical applications, particularly in tissue engineering, as well as in technical fields including filtration, sensor technology, and composite reinforcement. Currently, nanofibers are mainly used in the form of flat membranes produced by DC electrospinning.This work focuses on the production of nanofibers using AC electrospinning technology with high productivity and specific morphology. This is achieved, primarily, by replacing a physical and electrically active counter-electrode with a virtual collector. The possibility of using a virtual collector to form nanofiber structures without frictional forces opens the way to the production of advanced nanofiber structures, including low-volume cohesive linear formations.Previous technologies for producing nanofiber yarns used a supporting core around which the nanofibers were wrapped. In the case of nanofibrous yarn without the supporting core, the method required contact of nanofibers with a mechanical collector during yarn formation, resulting in a higher volume of nanofibers needed to maintain the minimum strength necessary for removal from the collector. As a result, the minimum achievable fineness is limited and the material is excessively compacted in order to be able to transmit the necessary forces.The presented work describes a method that enables the continuous production of linear nanofiber sliver directly in the virtual collector area of AC electrospinning technology, and without mechanical contact with any physical elements. The resulting unique structure is cohesive, with minimal twisting and no excessive compaction.The described continuous technology has sufficient production speed for practical use, and the materials produced have application potential, particularly in medicine, where they can support cell cultivation and proliferation.

Keywords: AC electrospinning, linear nanofiber structures, nanofiber sliver, virtual collector

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