Ceramic encapsulation with polymer via co-axial electrohydrodynamic jetting

Abstract

Co-flowing media of a polymeric solution (30 wt% polymethylsilsesquioxane in ethanol) and a ceramic suspension (10 wt% alumina in glycerol) were subjected to an electric field. The flow rates of the media (10–30 µL min⁻¹) and the applied voltage (0–11 kV) were varied systematically during the experimentation by making gradual increments to each variable, which enabled the construction of a mode selection map. Under co-flowing conditions, with the flow rate of polymer solution (outer needle) twice that of the ceramic suspension (inner needle), encapsulated droplets of polymer-coated alumina were produced within stable cone-jet mode. These were collected in a thin film of water and the resultant particle size varied between 1 and 38 µm. Encapsulation was confirmed with scanning electron microscopy and element analysis.

• Ceramic
• polymer
• co-axial
• composite
• electrohydrodynamic