Preparation of short submicron-fiber yarn by an annular collector through electrospinning

Electrospinning is known to be a unique method to prepare continuous nanofibers. Its brevity and extensive application in obtaining non-woven membrane, nanofiber bundle or yarn have attracted increasing attention throughout the world. Especially, how to obtain aligned nanofiber array by a modified electrospinning process has been a hot topic in recent years. An annular collector with the cross-section of circle to obtain fibrous yarn through electrospinning, pre-drafting, and subsequent twisting was reported in this investigation. Fiber arrangement in bundle and mechanical properties of the yarn were given by scanning electron microscope and strength tester. Results showed that the pre-drafted bundle consisted of highly-aligned submicron fibers with the diameter from 750 to 1000 nm. In addition, it was found that the yarn is unsuitable for clothing, but may be applied in many other fields, such as composites, tissue engineering, and catalyst materials.