Optimisation of Electrospinning Parameters for High-Strength Oriented Pan Nanofibre Mats

This study explores the optimisation of electrospinning parameters to enhance the strength and orientation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibre mats, which are pivotal in filtration applications and other areas requiring high-strength, uniformly distributed nanofibres. The focus is on the electrospinning process, particularly on a rotating drum collector, which is instrumental in determining the morphology of nanofibres. Key process variables, including the distance between the collector and the syringe, feed rate, applied voltage, and polymer concentration, have been meticulously examined to understand their influence on the physical properties of PAN nanofibres. Our findings indicate that parameters such as voltage, collector-to-syringe distance, and drum rotation speed (RPM) significantly impact the mechanical performance of the nanofibre mats. The optimised electrospinning conditions produced PAN nanofibre mats with tensile strengths ranging from 1.61 MPa to 21.78 MPa, demonstrating a notable improvement in strength due to controlled fluid dynamics and expulsion of polymer solution during the process.