Electrospinning and electrospraying techniques: Setups and mechanisms

Electrospinning is a nanofabrication technique that can be used to produce continuous fibers with diameters from microns to tens of nanometers from polymeric and nonpolymeric systems, which relies on the interplay of electrical, viscous, and inertial forces. Likewise, electrospraying uses an electric field to atomize a flowing solution to produce micro- and nanoparticulate materials from polymers and hybrid systems at lower concentrations. Both techniques have been used extensively to fabricate electrospun fibers and electrosprayed beads from a variety of polymers, nanocomposites, and even nonpolymers for a wide range of applications. Because of their large surface area per unit volume, high porosity, high flexibility, and easy loading of bioactive molecules, these materials have been used as functional materials in the fields of biomedicine, food, textiles, energy, and catalysis. In this chapter, the setups and mechanisms of solution electrospinning and electrospraying techniques, as well as the effects of electrospinning/electrospraying on solution/process/environmental parameters, have been described in detail. The applications of both techniques in different fields were briefly mentioned. The review concluded with current challenges and future perspectives of electrospinning and electrospraying.