"Real time" Raman studies of electrospun fibers

Raman spectra of as-spun fibers produced through electrospinning have shown that high S/N data can be obtained on 50-mum diameter fibers in relatively short collection times (25 s). Using this same instrumental approach, "rea l time" Raman spectra of the electrospinning liquid fiber jet at the origin or the jet and 1 cm downstream have been obtained. The results show that " on-line" analysis of the solvent/polymer ratio and spectroscopic measuremen ts of polymer orientation are possible and will lead to a more quantitative understanding of the development of the polymer microstructure during the electrospinning process.