Electrospinning Safety September 26 2018 Ariana Levitt Electrospinning

Electrospinning Safety September 26, 2018 Ariana Levitt

Electrospinning Basics • Technique first patented in 1934, but method gained attention in the early 1990 s • More than 100 polymers have been spun into nanofibers using this technique 2

Electrospinning equipment in the lab syringe Collector High voltage power supply (40 V max) 3

Basic electrospinning procedure 1. Solution Preparation • Load polymer solution into syringe in the fume hood • Cap syringe with needle, then remove needle cap 2. Experiment Set-up • Load syringe into syringe pump • Attach positive electrode to needle tip and ground collector 4

Basic electrospinning procedure 3. Running Experiment • Turn on syringe pump, set flow rate and press “run” • Close door to unit • Turn on high voltage power supply 4. When finished electrospinning… • Turn power supply down to 0 V, and then shut off. • Remove syringe, bring to fume hood, and dispose of chemicals in appropriate waste container. • Dispose of needle in sharps container • Remove fibers from collector and clean collector 5

Electrospinning safety – potential risks • Solvent inhalation • Make sure unit is properly vented • Close door to unit during electrospinning • Needle-stick • Do not recap needles • Be careful when you are reaching into the unit • Shock / Fire • Do not touch needle during spinning • Make sure the collector is properly grounded • Monitor current during electrospinning 6 Collector

Best Practices • Wear PPE (lab coat, goggles, gloves) • Never leave the door to the unit open during electrospinning • Unit must be vented! If not, do not use it • Load syringes in the fume hood • Turn power supply on after unit door is closed and syringe pump is on • Turn voltage down to 0 V before shutting power supply off • Dispose of chemicals in appropriate waste container 7

Common chemicals used during electrospinning Common solvents: DMF, DMSO, formic acid, ethanol… **Many of these chemicals produce toxic fumes, take appropriate caution when using! Water-soluble polymers that good for electrospinning: • PVA • PVP • PCL • PEO. . . *If you can avoid using toxic solvents, do it! If not, be careful, make sure the unit is vented, dispose of chemicals safely, etc. 8

Additional Resources http: //www. jove. com/video/2494/electrospinning-fundamentals-optimizingsolution-aparatus https: //youtube. com/watch? v=SGXR 14 a 3 n. RI http: //www. sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S 0266353803001787 9