Corona discharge from electrospinning jet of poly(ethylene oxide) solution

• Published in: Polymer (Guilford) Vol. 50; no. 8; pp. 1835 - 1837
• Main Authors: Tripatanasuwan, Sureeporn, Reneker, Darrell H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 09.04.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Corona discharge; Electrospinning; Exact sciences and technology; Machinery and processing; Plastics; Poly(ethylene oxide); Polymer industry, paints, wood; Spinning; Technology of polymers; Electrospinning; Poly(ethylene oxide); Corona discharge; Ethylene oxide polymer; Morphology; Synthetic fiber; Experimental study; Corona effect
• ISSN: 0032-3861; 1873-2291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2009.02.021

Corona discharges from electrospinning jets were observed and photographed at the tip of the Taylor cone, and in a cylindrical region around the jet, a few millimeters below the tip. The corona discharge was also faintly visible to a dark adapted eye. At the position at which the cylindrical corona discharge became apparent, typical conditions were a jet diameter of 30μm, an applied potential of 12kV, and a calculated radial electric field of 400kV/cm, The calculated electric field required to create a corona in air around a metal wire of the same diameter, calculated from Peek's empirical formula, was only about 200kV/cm. The cross sectional shape of some segments of the electrospun fibers had two or three lobes. The lobes often separated, and formed smaller fibers. [Display omitted]