Controlled formation of multiple jets and nanofibers deposition via near-field electrospinning process

A simple yet powerful technique to form multiple jets using continuous near-field electrospinning (NFES) has been developed, and can effectively create one, two and three nanofibers deposition in a controlled manner. In this study, we successfully demonstrate controlled formation of multiple jets using the mechanical drawing and direct-write on the collector via continuous NFES process. The triggering mechanism of proposed electrospinning process is using one or several tungsten probe tips poking the polymer droplet, and when the surface tension of charged polymer solution was surpassed by applied electrical fields, the nanofibers were initially stretching and controllably depositing on the substrate at a needle-to-collector distance of 500μm to 1mm. The deposited nanofibers have diameters in the range of 40 to 140nm, arithmetic means and variances ranging from 64 ± 14nm for one jet, 79 ± 15nm for two jets and 76 ± 20nm for three jets. This novel and reproducible technique can further expand the application of NFES in building up large area, ordered nonwoven nanofibers in the field of microelectronics, MEMS structures and nano-featured scaffolds of tissue engineering.