| The ever-growing need for fibers with desirable properties has led to extensive research in determining methods of producing fibers to suit different applications. Electrospirnning is an established method of forming polymer fibers with diameters in the micro- and nano-meter range. The nonwoven fiber mat produced by this method has been successfully used for filter applications. Nevertheless, extensive use of these fibers has been hindered due to the lack of control on the deposition of the fibers and the complex process parameters. Controlled fiber orientation can yield products such as braided, woven and patterned micro- and nano-structures, tissue scaffolds, conductive nano wire grids and filters.; In this thesis, the effect of electrostatics on the fiber path, orientation, and deposition process was analyzed. The study focused on addressing three critical aspects of the electrospinning process, namely the process variables, jet path control and target design. A charge transport model was developed to represent the electrospinning process. Electric fields were used to control the spread and direction of the fibers from the source. Fiber deposition with direction orientation on the target was obtained by combining mechanical forces with electrostatic forces. |
