Process optimization and experimental modeling of the parameters of the electrospinning machine

In this thesis, it is aimed to investigate the process parameters affecting the electrospinning process experimentally. Determination of parameter interactions and optimum parameters are carried out for cylinder and plate collectors, respectively. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and distilled water as the solvent system are used in the production of nanofiber surfaces. The Taguchi method is applied as the experimental design method. Input parameters are determined as solution concentration, applied voltage, needle-to-collector distance, flow rate, and rotational speed of the cylinder collector. Nanofiber diameter and pore size are considered as output parameters. The cylinder collector is investigated with five parameters, three levels L18 orthogonal array and the plate collector with four settings, three levels L9 orthogonal array. The characterization of the produced surfaces is performed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Nanofiber diameters and pore sizes are measured on SEM images. Standard deviation values over the diameter measurements and % porosity values over the pore size measurements are calculated. The effects of the parameters on the process outputs are evaluated by ranking analysis and variance analysis. Interactions between parameters are analyzed by contour graphics. S/N ratios are used as the objective function in optimization, and input parameters are determined for the minimum nanofiber diameter. Regression analysis is used for modeling the output parameters, and 95.3% and 92.9% determination coefficients are achieved for the cylinder and plate collector in nanofiber diameter models, respectively.