Standard Operating Procedures
Title: Electrospinning
Number    Revision    Date   Pages of 3

1.0  PURPOSE

   Electrospinning provides a simple and versatile method for generating ultrathin fibers from a rich variety of materials that includes polymers, composites and ceramics.

2.0 SCOPE

   This SOP is applied to whom will operate the electrospinning as part of their research.

RESPONSIBILITIES
 

Ying Liu, Chungchueh Chang(Simon)

4.0 DEFINITIONS

Electrospinning: in this process, a solid fiber is generated as the electrified jet is continuously stretched due to the electrostatic repulsions between the surface and the evaporation of solvent.

High voltage power supply: supplies high voltage between 0-30 kV.

Syringe pump: The pump which is used to feed solution through syringe at a constant and controllable rate.

 Collector: The substrates on which the electrospun fibers are collected.

HEALTH AND SAFETY WARNINGS
   Personal Protective Equipment needed for procedure:

   Lab coats

       Nitrile gloves

       Goggles

      Hazards of chemicals used in procedure.

Tetrahydrofuran

Chloroform

Dimethylformamide

Electrical hazards

High voltage (10kV)

      Special emergency equipment needed (eyewash, spill kit)

       Spill kit

   Eyewash

      Special waste disposal requirements (amalgam, chemical waste)

        Sharps disposal container, Organic solvent waste

6.0 MATERIALS

    Tetrahydrofuran  99.9%  Cat # T425-4  Health Rating 2, Flammability Rating 3, Reactivity Rating 2                                           

       Chloroform  99+%  CAS # 67-66-3 Health Rating 3, Flammability Rating 1, Reactivity Rating 3

   Dimethylformamide 99.99% Cat # DX1726-6 Health Rating 2, Flammability Rating 2, Reactivity Rating 2

7.0 PROCEDURES

   1. Wear the personal protective equipments before operating electrospinning.

   2. Clean the syringe and needles with clean tetrahydrofuran(THF).

   3. Clean the syringe and needles with clean solvent which is used to dissolve your sample if it is not THF.

   4. Use syringe to draw the proper volume of solution.

   5. Put syringe on the syringe pump and set up the parameter i.e. feeding rate and volume.

   6. Put substrates i.e. silicon wafers or aluminium foils on collector firmly by tape.

   7. Adjust the proper distance from collector to syringe needle.

   8. Connect the red alligator clip to syringe needle.

   9. Turn on the syringe pump and high voltage power supply and the electrospun fiber will be coming out from needles to collector.

10. Turn off the high voltage power supply and syringe pump.

11. Collect the electrospun fibers from collector.

12. Remove the syringe form syringe pump.

13. Clean syringe and needles with clean solvent which is used to dissolve your sample if it is not THF.

14. Clean syringe and needles with clean THF.

15. Keep needles in clean THF, and the waste THF will go to the waste bottle (#1).

16. Clean up the fume hood and equipments.

Hazard:

   1. Organic solvents are volatile.  Always use them in the fume hood.

   2. Electrospinning is under high voltage.  Always not touch the equipment when experiment is being processed and make sure you turn on the high voltage power supply last and turn it off first when you operate.

   3. Electrospun fibers are ultrathin, which could reach nanoscale.  Wear masks when process is being operated.

8.0 REPORTING AND DOCUMENTATION

      - Describe any logs, reports or other documentation needed or produced during this SOP. Describe where records are kept.

9.0  REFERENCES

    Givens SR, Gardner KH, Rabolt JF, et al. High-temperature electrospinning of polytheylene microfibers from solution. Macromolecules 40(3): 608-610, 2007

    Ji Y, Li BQ, Ge SR, et al. Stucture and nanoMechanical characterization of electrospunn PS/clay nanocomposite fibers. Langmuir 22 (3): 1321-1328, 2006

10.0 ATTACHMENTS, FORMS, CHECKLISTS

11.0 REVIEWS AND REVISIONS

      - List review cycle (e.g. annually) and procedure (e.g. supervisor, committee). Include author & approval signatures.

  Name Signature Job Title Da