Microscale electrospinning of polymer nanofiber interconnections

Polymer fiber interconnects were produced between microscale features on a substrate using only electrostatic forces. Electric-field-driven directed growth of nanoscale carboxymethylcellulose fibers was achieved between microscale droplets of a concentrated polymer solution. The fibers were studied using atomic force and scanning electron microscopy and were observed to emerge from the tip of conical protrusions formed at the surface of the droplets. The conical structures appear to be analogous to the characteristic Taylor cones formed in an electrospinning process and the process is interpreted as a microscale version of electrospinning requiring significantly lower driving potentials.