Design and development of profiled multi pin electrospinning set up to produce nanofibre and nanocomposites and evaluate their application in agriculture

Abstract

Electrospinning is a novel technique to produce nanofibres to be used in varied fields of research. Because of the unique attributes nanofibres exhibit, the field of electrospinning has seen considerable research work on involving various polymer preparation, their characterizations and applications. However, an extensive review of the relevant literature revealed that only limited work has been reported focussing research on electrospinning spinneret and with machine design perspectives. Practically, in India, no research has been conducted on a needle-free electrospinning machine, which is seen as an advancement over the much-used needled electrospinning machine. The present thesis aims a step ahead in the research in the sense that it not only deals with the advanced needle-free electrospinning machine but also works with the improvement of the same by conceptualising and proto-typing an entirely new design of the machine. The author named his new design as Profiled Multi-pin Electrospinning (PMES) arrangement. This new design is also capable of producing nanofibres from nanoparticle blended polymers, and even, can handle and process high viscosity polymer solution with ease, which was not at all feasible with any of its earlier versions. newlineNo doubt, the needle and the needle-free technique of electrospinning have already exhibited their ability to produce nanofibres, including nanoparticle encapsulation/embedding into nanofibres with minimum voltage. newline