Electrostatic Droplet Generation for Encapsulat ion of Somatic Tissue: Assessment of High‐Voltage Power Supply

The production of alginate microbeads with and without somatic tissue was investigated using an electrostatic droplet generator with a custom‐made fixed (5.7 kV) and variable (0–20 kV) high‐voltage power supply. The effects of applied potential, needle size, and alginate concentration were assessed as well as the immobilization of carnation callus cells. The high‐voltage output from the power supply depended on whether the low‐voltage input was increasing or decreasing. This hysteresis effect may be due to the electrical properties of the oscillator in the high‐voltage source. While a short electrode distance and a high needle gauge were important for producing small alginate bead diameters (e.g., 100 μm), alginate concentration in the range 1–3% (w/v) was not a key factor. Somatic tissue encapsulated using 2% sodium alginate retained viability over a 2‐month culture period.