Morphology and Core Continuity of Liquid-crystal-functionalized, Coaxially Electrospun Fiber Mats Tuned Via the Polymer Sheath Solution

By electrospinning liquid crystals coaxially inside a polymer sheath, responsive fibers with application potential, e.g., in wearable sensors can be produced. We conduct a combined scanning electron/polarizing microscopy study of such fibers, concluding that a match between the properties of the sheath solution and that of the core fluid is vital for achieving well-formed and well-filled fibers. Problems that may otherwise arise are fibers that are continuously filled, but partially collapsed; or fibers in which the core breaks up into droplets due to a mismatch in elongational viscosity between inner and outer fluids.