Chip-based microfabricated electrospinning nozzles

The authors have used microfabricated nozzles with inner diameters as small as 5 mu m to produce electrospinning jets. A chip containing an array of individually addressable nozzles was incorporated with a commercial automated fluid delivery system and a floating high voltage supply. Using this system, the authors were able to produce polymeric nanofibers with various geometries, including beads-on-a-string, straight continuous fiber, and fibers that had broken in flight. The authors have shown that the use of this small electrospinning nozzle produces a smaller, more uniform spot compared to other source geometries.