Mandrel Diameter Is a Dominating Parameter for Fiber Alignment Control in Rotating Mandrel Electrospinning Systems

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Aligned electrospun polymer scaffolds are vital for 3D in vitro models of fibrous tissues.
• High-speed rotating cylindrical mandrels are commonly used to align electrospun fibers.
• The influence of mandrel diameter on fiber alignment is less understood than rotational speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of mandrel diameter on fiber alignment, volume fraction, and diameter.
• To compare the effect of mandrel diameter versus rotational speed on fiber alignment.
• To provide guidance for optimizing electrospun fiber alignment for tissue engineering.

Main Methods:

• Electrospinning of polymer fibers onto rotating cylindrical mandrels of varying diameters.
• Analysis of fiber alignment, diameter, and volume fraction using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Quantitative image analysis with DiameterJ and OrientationJ plugins in ImageJ.

Main Results:

• Linear regression analysis identified mandrel diameter as the dominant factor influencing fiber diameter, fraction, and alignment.
• Increasing mandrel diameter significantly improved fiber alignment and volume fraction.
• Mandrel diameter offered more precise control over fiber alignment than rotational speed.

Conclusions:

• Mandrel diameter is a more critical parameter than rotational speed for controlling electrospun fiber alignment.
• Larger mandrel diameters enable finer and more consistent tuning of fiber alignment at lower speeds.
• This study provides a practical guide for fabricating highly aligned electrospun scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.