Week 6 Progress

Ultimately, our goal is to create a sample of nanofiber that is capable of being used in a capacitor. Unfortunately, we ran into a few complications in the past week. Our initial test-run had been spun using PEO; however, in order to obtain a sample that could be calcified, and thus used in a capacitor, we needed to spin a sample using PAN (Poly-Acrylic Nitrile).

Today, during a PAN trial, instead of collecting a usable sample, we obtained a spider web type of structure that extended from the collector plate down. Upon consulting with Dr. Kalra, it was determined that the most likely cause for this was the moisture in the air. Apparently, when the air contains too much moisture, the gaseous water particles interfere with the electric field that directs the nanofiber jet to the collection plate. Using a meter, we determined that the air has a humidity percentage of 48%. To cope with this, we injected pure oxygen into an enclosed box to drive the moisture out of the air. When the box reached only 20% moisture, we ran the spinner again, however, the sample didn’t spin as it should have. At this point, the sample of PAN and DMF had become a gelatinous solid because so much DMF had evaporated out of the solution. It takes a full day to properly stir a solution, so that concluded this week’s tests.