Circumferential wrinkling of polymer nanofibers

Mojtaba Ahmadi, Oksana Zholobko, and Xiang-Fa Wu
Phys. Rev. E 102, 013001 – Published 1 July 2020

Abstract

Surface wrinkles are commonly observed in soft polymer nanofibers produced in electrospinning. This paper studies the conditions of circumferential wrinkling in polymer nanofibers under axial stretching. A nonlinear continuum mechanics model is formulated to take into account the combined effects of surface energy and nonlinear elasticity of the nanofibers on wrinkling initiation, in which the soft nanofibers are treated as incompressible, isotropically hyperelastic neo-Hookean solid. The critical condition to trigger circumferential wrinkling is determined and its dependencies upon the surface energy, mechanical properties, and geometries of the nanofibers are examined. In the limiting case of spontaneous circumferential wrinkling, the theoretical minimum radius of soft nanofibers producible in electrospinning is determined, which is related closely to the intrinsic length l0=γ/E of the polymer (γ: the surface energy; E: a measure of the elastic modulus), and compared with that of spontaneous longitudinal wrinkling in polymer nanofibers. The present study provides a rational understanding of surface wrinkling in polymer nanofibers and a technical approach for actively tuning the surface morphologies of polymer nanofibers for applications, e.g., high-grade filtration, oil-water separation, tissue scaffolding, etc.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 21 January 2020
  • Accepted 9 June 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.102.013001

©2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

  1. Research Areas
Polymers & Soft MatterCondensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Mojtaba Ahmadi, Oksana Zholobko, and Xiang-Fa Wu*

  • Department of Mechanical Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, 58108-6050, USA

  • *Xiangfa.Wu@ndsu.edu

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 102, Iss. 1 — July 2020

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review E

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×