An Approach to Fabricate Biofibers with Spider Weblike Structures Based on Electrospinning Device

Electrospinning is a fascinating approach for preparing nanofibers and films, offering some advantages in comparison with other methods, such as rapid production and utilizing readily available chemical reagents. Nonetheless, the main obstacle to this technology is the high cost of commercial electrospinning devices, which restricts both research and widespread application. This work is intended to demonstrate the feasibility of using 3D printing and mechatronic knowledge to create an operational electrospinning prototype. To corroborate the success of the fabricated device, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) biofibers were synthesized. The obtained material was further characterized by conducting focused ion beam microscopy (FIB), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD). The FIB results indicated that fibers are within the nanoscale range of 162–536 nm, exhibiting a geometric distribution similar to a spider web. Additionally, the FTIR and XRD spectra confirmed the presence of carbon bonds, which facilitate the formation of interconnected fibers with some degree of crystallinity and a crystallite size of 3.1 nm. Thus, the successful fabrication of an electrospinning device at a total cost below USD 350, capable of producing functional nanofibers with spider weblike morphology, was effectively demonstrated. This emphasizes the newness and innovation of integrating 3D printing and mechatronic expertise which has significant potential for developing labware devices. This approach not only opens avenues for the development and improvement of laboratory equipment but also can help in the fabricating of biomembranes or nanofibers with versatile applications in fields such as biomedical or energy conversion systems.