Investigation on the Effect of Process Variables on Polyurethane Nanofibre Diameter Using a Factorial Design

In this study, a factorial experimental design was used to study the effects of process parameters on nanofibre diameters, the voltage applied and the distance from the tip to collector. Nanofibres were produced using 10% concentration solution of polyurethane-tetrahydrofuran. The effects of solution parameters on the diameters of nanofibres are known. However, there has not been common agreement on the effect of the voltage applied on the diameter of nanofibres. A 32 factorial design was applied to identify the main and two-factor interaction effects. Analysis of the results from the design show that the distance and voltage applied had significant effects on polyurethane nanofibre diameter. It was found that for the main effect the distance from the tip to collector exhibits a great influence on the fibre diameter. The results also showed that the two-factor interaction effect significantly influenced the fibre diameter.