PCB-based multi-spinnerets for high-efficiency electrospinning piezoelectric nonwoven fiber fabrics

摘要

Fibrous piezoelectric structures are highly desirable for wearable sensors to improve personalized healthcare. In this study, PCB (printed circuit board)-based multi-spinnerets were used to efficiently electrospin the nonwoven fiber fabrics (NFFs). Meanwhile this multi-jet hollow cylindrical near-field electrospinning (MHCNFES) process induced ferroelectricity in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers. The PCB-based multi-spinnerets were made of semi-spherical spinneret array mounted on the electrode patterns via PCB layout process and micro-electrical discharge machining (Micro-EDM) treatment. The piezoelectric NFFs with a thickness of -3 μm as active layer were transferred onto a polymer substrate and fixed at both ends of electrodes to make the flexible sensing device. The device can generate an average voltage of ～0.16 V_(p-p) under 9 Hz mechanical vibration with a strain of 0.05%. This new process can easily control the structural diameter, length, and density. Thus the MHCNFES NFFs can promote the applications of sub-micro/nano-polymer fibers in various fields.