Electrospinning cellulose and cellulose derivatives

Many solvents suitable for wet or dry spinning of cellulose and cellulose derivatives have also been investigated as solvents for electrospinning. Solvents for cellulose are not completely volatile and have required coagulation steps to ensure complete removal of the solvent from electrospun fibers and produce stable fibers. Cellulose derivatives include cellulose acetate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, and ethyl-cyanoethyl cellulose, which can be dissolved in volatile solvents suitable for electrospinning. Cellulose acetate in particular has been electrospun under a wide variety of conditions and subsequently deacetylated to form cellulose nanofibers or functionalized with other side groups.