Creating microstructures in electrospun nanofibers using a micropatterned collector chip

This paper reports a simple fabrication approach to create microstructures in electrospun polymer nanofibers. A collector chip with micropatterned electrodes generates electromechanical energy wells above the substrate, which induce selective patterning of polymer nanofibers on the collecting surface. This work provides a sound technology to interface electrospun nanomaterials to larger scaled structures. Particularly, it opens a door for developing MEMS components made of fibrous nanomaterials. It thus has immediate impacts in a broad array of biomedical and industrial applications including tissue engineering, drug delivery, and nanoelectronics.