Increased Production of Nanofibrous Materials by Electroblowing From Blends of Hyaluronic Acid and Polyethylene Oxide

Natural and synthetic nanostructured polymers in the form of fibers are used in medical and cosmetic applications. One of the main advantages of the electrospinning method is its flexibility, which allows to use airflow in the vicinity of a spinneret to increase production. The acceleration of solvent evaporation rate allows the solution feed rate to be increased. Experimental results confirmed a significant increase in the production of hyaluronic acid and poly(ethylene) oxide nanofibers. The increase occurs when higher airflow velocity and higher airflow temperature are used, causing a decrease in the partial pressure of solvent vapours and relative humidity when a supercritical intensity of the electrostatic field is applied. The obtained results indicate that the electroblowing method offers some significant advantages, making it suitable not only for the research and development of new nanofibrous materials but also for the potentially successful production of such materials for targeted applications. (C) 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers