Close Electrohydrodynamic Fiber Deposition using a Partially Coated Glass Collector

This article outlines an electrohydrodynamic printing discovery that produces well-formed fibers from a normally difficult-to-process polymer that are positioned extremely close to each other. A solution of poly(vinylidene-co-trifluoroethylene-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene) P(VDF-co-TrFE-co-CTFE) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is heated to 60°C to both enable solution flow and increased solvent evaporation from the jet. A glass microscope slide with a partially-coated platinum (Pt) region permitted the touching of direct written single parallel fibers to the level that they are touching. Such close-fiber positioning was unattainable on a non-coated microscope slide or metallic collectors. This discovery of a partially metal-coated glass collector expands the design possibilities for electrohydrodynamic continuous jetting.