Electrospinning of Alumina Nanofibers

A straightforward manufacturing route of alumina nanofibers was established by the electrospinning of a commercial alumina sol mixed with polyethylene oxide. The molecular weight and concentration of the polymer were varied as well as the spin parameters in order to find suitable fabrication settings. The results showed that the polymer content should be at least 27 vol% in the green fibre in order to avoid brittle fibres and the molecular weight of PEO should be at least 400 000 g/mol. The shear and elongation rheological properties of the suspensions were measured. A contraction flow method for measuring the elongational viscosity was evaluated and found to be suitable for highly shear thinning systems with high viscosity. The fibre diameters of calcined samples were in the range 400-700 nm. The electrospinning should be performed in a dry environment facilitating better control of the fibre deposition.

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