Simulation and Influence of Double-Jet Taylor Cone for Nanofiber Preparation under Conjugated Electric Fields

The Taylor cone formed at the tip of the syringe used for delivering the solution plays a crucial role in jet initiation. However, most researchers have focused on the Taylor cone formation mechanism in single-needle electrospinning processes. This study presents a novel multiphysics model to simulate the dynamic processes occurring within the cone jet from a double-needle spinneret under conjugated electric fields. Comparison with experimental data demonstrates that the simulation accurately reproduces the morphology of the cone jet under the influence of the applied electric field, and the simulated Taylor cone exhibits excellent agreement with the experimentally observed cone within a well-defined voltage range. Furthermore, the effects of spinning process parameters on nanofiber yield were investigated using response surface methodology. The optimal process conditions─predicted at an electric potential of 18.61 kV, a liquid flow rate of 0.31 mL·h –1, and a collection distance of 10.18 cm─enable the maximization of the comprehensive performance of nanofiber preparation. These findings provide significant guidance for electrospinning process optimization, Taylor cone formation, and nanofiber fabrication.