Processing and structure relationships in electrospinning of ceramic fiber systems

During the last years, several groups across the world have concentrated on the adaptation and further development of electrospinning (e-spinning) to enable ceramic fiber synthesis. Thus far, more than 20 ceramic systems have been synthesized as micro- and nanofibers. These fibers can be amorphous, polycrystalline, dense, porous, or hollow. This article reviews the experimental and theoretical basis of ceramic e-spinning. Furthermore, it introduces an expanded electro hydrodynamic (EHD) theory that allows the prediction of fired fiber diameter for lanthanum cuprate fibers. It is hypothesized that this expanded EHD theory is applicable to most ceramic e-spinning systems. Furthermore, electroceramic nanofibers produced via e-spinning are presented in detail along with an overview of electrospun ceramic fibers.