ANSYS Maxwell was used to replicate the conditions of two potential electrospinning configurations: a needle-plate and a parallel-plate configuration. Simulations showed that the electric field generated within the parallel-plate configuration was much more uniform than that within the needle-plate configuration. Both configurations were assembled and used electrospin fibers at three different spinning distances (10 cm, 12 cm, and 15 cm), at a consistent electric field strength of 1.7 kV/cm. Scanning electron microscopy was used to compare the morphologies of the fibers produced in both configurations in order to confirm whether a more uniform electric field yielded thinner fibers. The results show that the needle-plate configuration produced finer fibers than the parallel-plate configuration at all three spinning distances. However, there was no difference in the fiber diameters produced at the 12 and 15 cm spinning distances within the needle-plate configuration, implying thinning may only occur up to a certain distance in this configuration.
Keywords: beading; electric field; electrospinning; parallel plate; scanning electron microscopy; single needle.