Preparation and numerical simulation of food gum electrospun nanofibers

The preparation of nanofibers by electrospinning of food gum has been a challenge. Here, we reported a strategy for preparing narrow nanofibers by reducing the surface tension and enhancing the conductivity of “low concentration and high viscosity” food gum solution. The addition of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) improved the spinnability of guar gum (GG), propylene glycol alginate (PGA), and Gleditsia Sinensis lam gum (GSLG) solutions, allowing them to form Taylor cones during electrospinning, while volume shrinkage was activated with a higher solvent evaporation rate to reduce fiber diameter. Besides, based on fiber diameter, solution properties, and electrospinning setting, we proposed a kinetic model of fiber diameter. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the average diameters of the fibers were 110, 90, and 100 nm for GG/CTAB, PGA/CTAB, and GSLG/CTAB, respectively. Correspondingly, the theoretical diameters of the kinetic models were 117.4, 102.4, and 109.6 nm, respectively, verifying the accuracy of the kinetic model.