What’s electrospinning?

Nanofibres are fibers with diameters in the order of 100 nm and are important because of their large surface area and small pore size. Electrospinning is a common practice in nanotechnology to produce nanofibers. An electrospinning setup usually consists of a pump that feeds a polymer solution to a needle biased at a high voltage, and a grounded drum/collector. The high voltage charges the tip of the needle, generating an electric field between the needle and the grounded drum. A Taylor cone is formed at the needle tip, causing a thin liquid jet to eject towards the collector (see image below). As the solution evaporates in the air, the polymeric nanofibers are deposited onto the drum for collection.

The formation of a Taylor cone in an electrospinning setup (source)