Nanostructures and devices are the frontier development of nano-technology, electrospinning technology can realize the "top-down" single-step direct preparation of various complex nanostructures, and the structure of the spinning head plays an indispensable role in the preparation process of fibers.

In recent years, the bionic design elements of electrospinning technology have received attention, such as coaxial electrospinning design that imitates the structure of bamboo section, pig nose, and clams in the sea, needleless spinning nozzle design that imitates the shape of pyramid shells, and multi-needle spinning design that imitates the shape of a lotus.

The non-traditional forms of fibers prepared by these spinning technologies provide us with a wide range of application paths:

i) hollow fibers are conducive to material diffusion and show superior performance in the fields of catalysis, supercapacitors, and batteries;

ii) the core-sheath structure integrates both therapeutic and diagnostic components in the same fiber, realizing the combination of drug load and function;

iii) The core-sheath structure can provide a multi-stage filtration system for environmental field treatment through large-area contact with the target pollutants;

iv) Electrospinning devices with special multi-needle or needleless spinning heads can increase productivity and obtain fine fiber morphological control.

The "pig's nose" has a structure of "splitting double cores within a sheath", representing a spatial relationship that accompanies but is not adjacent, and is widely present. Taking inspiration from the "pig's nose", the designed spinning head can produce nanofibers with a sheath and double core and separate, which has great potential for the controlled release of drugs and biomedical applications.

Full Text: https://www.cell.com/the-innovation/fulltext/S2666-6758(23)00009-7