Fabrication methodologies of multi-layered and multi-functional electrospun structures by co-axial and multi-axial electrospinning techniques

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99958-2_2

Electrospinning emerges as a simple, cost-effective, and highly versatile method used for mass fabrication of continuous ultrafine fibers with the diameter changing from micron- to nanoscale using various polymer types and their blends. Recently, multi-axial electrospinning technique incorporating additional walls in electrospun fiber structures in a single-step process resulted in new generation fibers with unique architecture and morphology. The arrangement of multi-axial spinneret consequences the development of multi-material fibers and other dimensional structures with core/shell, a hollow and side-by-side skeleton which have an uncountable preponderance compared to monolithic structures obtained by conventional electrospinning. These nonwoven multifunctional electrospun structures can gain extra functionality, porosity, chemical stability, and mechanical robustness by adding core and sheath materials, in various applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, filtration, smart textiles, energy storage, and conversion systems. This chapter covers the procurement of multiple core-sheath electrospun fibers and other dimensional structures by co-axial, tri-axial, and side-by-side electrospinning techniques with emphasizing fiber development comprehensively. By providing current developments in the aspect of used techniques, this chapter also provides an understanding of a suitable selection of ideal composition and adjustment of the dimension and configuration of structures during the electrospinning process by considering the end application.