Nanofibers being spun from a quilled electrospinning drum

Quilled Electrospinning: Revolutionizing Nanofiber Production for Fashion and Textiles?

Mira Elwood in Tech & Innovation June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Exploring a novel approach to PAN nanofiber creation that could redefine material design and functionality."

Nanofibers have emerged as pivotal components across numerous industries, celebrated for their exceptional surface area-to-volume ratios, porosity, and superior mechanical attributes. Industries ranging from medicine to environmental science, and of course fashion, are making advanced by the unique characteristic. Electrospinning, in particular, has garnered significant attention as a method for nanofiber production due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and versatility in material use.

However, conventional electrospinning techniques face limitations in production rate, primarily constrained by the rate at which polymer solutions can be processed through single jets. To address these inefficiencies, innovative methods such as multiple nozzle electrospinning have been developed, but these often come with increased costs and complexities in maintaining uniformity. A new method of producing nanofibers could drastically impact the textile industry.

This article delves into an exciting advancement: "quilled" nozzle-less electrospinning. This innovative approach uses a specially designed rotating drum within an electrical field to optimize energy use, ensure uniform nanofiber distribution, and significantly boost production rates. We'll explore how this method compares to traditional techniques, offering a glimpse into the future of textile manufacturing and material science.

What is Quilled Electrospinning and Why Is It a Game Changer?

Nanofibers being spun from a quilled electrospinning drum

Quilled electrospinning represents a significant leap forward in nanofiber production technology. Unlike traditional methods that rely on single or multiple nozzles to eject polymer solutions, quilled electrospinning utilizes a rotating drum equipped with a series of 'quills.' This drum is immersed in a polymer solution and subjected to a high-voltage electrical field. As the drum rotates, nanofibers are drawn from the quills, creating a web-like structure that is collected for various applications.

The advantages of quilled electrospinning are manifold. By eliminating the need for nozzles, this method reduces the risk of clogging and simplifies the production process. The unique design of the quilled drum ensures a more uniform distribution of nanofibers, leading to materials with consistent properties. Perhaps most impressively, quilled electrospinning dramatically increases production rates compared to traditional methods, making it a more scalable and economically viable option for large-scale manufacturing.

Increased Production Rate: Offers significantly higher output compared to single and multi-nozzle methods.
Uniform Fiber Distribution: Ensures consistent material properties across the nanofiber web.
Energy Efficiency: Optimizes energy consumption during the electrospinning process.
Versatile Application: Suitable for producing nanofibers from a variety of polymers, including PAN.

The study highlighted the comparison between the new 'quilled' method, multi-nozzle electrospinning, and single-nozzle electrospinning methods. The nanofibers produced from the quilled drum had a mean diameter that was 32% greater than the single-nozzle but 28% less than the multi-nozzle. Most importantly, the production rate was 60 and 17 times more than single and multi-nozzle methods.

The Future of Textiles is Here

Quilled electrospinning is more than just a novel technique; it's a gateway to creating advanced materials with enhanced functionality and sustainability. As research and development in this field continue to grow, we can expect to see even more innovative applications of nanofibers in the fashion and textile industries, paving the way for a future where clothing is not only stylish but also smart, sustainable, and high-performing.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1186/s40691-018-0141-5, Alternate LINK

Title: An Investigation On Quilled Nozzle-Less Electrospinning In Comparison With Conventional Methods For Producing Pan Nanofibers

Subject: Marketing

Journal: Fashion and Textiles

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Sayed Pedram Rezazadeh Tehrani, Mehdi Hadjianfar, Mehran Afrashi, Dariush Semnani

Published: 2018-10-30

Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is quilled electrospinning, and how does it differ from traditional electrospinning methods?

Quilled electrospinning is a novel technique for producing nanofibers. Unlike conventional electrospinning that uses single or multiple nozzles to eject polymer solutions, this method employs a rotating drum equipped with 'quills.' This drum rotates within an electrical field, drawing nanofibers from the quills to create a web-like structure. The key difference lies in the elimination of nozzles, which reduces clogging and simplifies the production process, while also improving the uniformity and increasing the production rate significantly. Traditional methods, such as single and multi-nozzle electrospinning, are limited in terms of production speed and often struggle with uniformity, making quilled electrospinning a more efficient and effective alternative.

What are the main advantages of using quilled electrospinning over other nanofiber production methods like multi-nozzle electrospinning?

Quilled electrospinning offers several key advantages. Firstly, it dramatically increases the production rate compared to both single and multi-nozzle methods, making it more suitable for large-scale manufacturing. Secondly, the design of the quilled drum ensures a more uniform distribution of nanofibers, leading to consistent material properties. The method is also more energy-efficient. While multi-nozzle electrospinning attempts to increase production, it often comes with increased complexities and costs. The study highlights that the production rate of quilled electrospinning was significantly higher, making it a superior choice in terms of efficiency and scalability.

How does the use of 'quills' in quilled electrospinning contribute to the quality and characteristics of the produced nanofibers?

The 'quills' in quilled electrospinning play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and characteristics of the nanofibers. The unique arrangement of the quills on the rotating drum helps in achieving a more uniform distribution of the nanofibers. This uniformity is essential for creating materials with consistent properties, which is vital for applications in fashion and textiles where material consistency is key. The mean diameter of the nanofibers produced by quilled electrospinning can be controlled, leading to fabrics with desired characteristics. Compared to single-nozzle electrospinning, the nanofibers have a mean diameter 32% greater, while 28% less compared to the multi-nozzle method.

In what ways can quilled electrospinning impact the fashion and textile industries, and what are the potential future applications?

Quilled electrospinning has the potential to revolutionize the fashion and textile industries by enabling the creation of advanced materials with enhanced functionality. It allows for the production of nanofibers with specific properties like high surface area-to-volume ratios and superior mechanical attributes. This could lead to smart clothing, high-performance fabrics, and sustainable materials. The increased production rates and efficiency of quilled electrospinning make it economically viable for large-scale manufacturing, which is crucial for the fashion industry. Future applications include textiles that are not only stylish but also smart, sustainable, and high-performing.

What specific polymers are suitable for use in quilled electrospinning, and how does this versatility enhance its applicability?

Quilled electrospinning is versatile and can be used with a variety of polymers, including PAN (polyacrylonitrile). The ability to use different polymers is a significant advantage, as it allows manufacturers to tailor the properties of the nanofibers to specific applications. PAN, for example, is known for its excellent mechanical strength, making it suitable for durable fabrics. This versatility enhances the applicability of quilled electrospinning across various industries, allowing for the creation of nanofibers with diverse properties to meet different needs in fashion, textiles, medicine, and environmental science. The method is not limited to a single material, which opens up numerous possibilities for material design and functionality.