Iran Occupational Health

Background and aims: In nanofibrous filters, morphological properties, diameter of fibers and porosity percent of media are the most filtration characteristics. Therefore, the present study aimed to optimize the electrospinning parameters for reaching to the desired values of the mentioned filter characteristics.

Method: For this purpose, a study design was prepared using response surface methodology (RSM), in which electrospinning factors such as solution concentration, applied voltage and electrospinning distance were considered input variables and the fiber diameter, porosity, bead number and average bead diameter to average fiber diameter (ABD/AFD) ratio were considered the output variables. Morphological features of fibers and porosity of media were done through image processing approach of Scanning Emission Microscopy (SEM) images.

Results: Maximum concentration in assessed range can provide the best morphology and also the maximum diameter. The highest correlation coefficient has been seen between fiber diameter and solution concentration (p <0.05, r=0.73). Porosity and applied voltage represent the strongest relationship (p >0.05, r=0.39).  There was the significant relationship between both concentration and electrospinning distance and bead size (r=-1.6, r=0.56, respectively). Bead number was decreased specially with increase in concentration.

Conclusion: Totally, RSM could well determine the relationship between input and response variables. High regression coefficient in mathematical models indicated the importance of the experimental values. The validation test shown the experimental data are in good agreement with the predicted ones.