Fundamental parameters affecting electrospinning of PAN nanofibers as uniaxially aligned fibers

Electrospinning with a collector consisting of two pieces of electrically conductive substrates separated by a gap has been used to prepare uniaxially aligned PAN nanofibers. Solution of 15 wt % of PAN/DMF was used tentatively for electrospinning. The effects of width of the gap and applied voltage on degree of alignment were investigated using image‐processing technique by Fourier power spectrum method. The electrospinning conditions that gave the best alignment of nanofibers for 10–15 wt % solution concentrations were experimentally obtained. Bundles like multifilament yarns of uniaxially aligned nanofibers were prepared using a new simple method. After‐treatments of these bundles were carried out in boiling water under tension. A comparison was made between the crystallinity and mechanical behavior of posttreated and untreated bundles. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 4350–4357, 2006