Lester Anderson: Electrospinning “magical Jell-O” to make useful items

This photo shows a young Black man in a white lab coat standing in a laboratory and smiling at the camera. — Virginia Tech’s advanced biomanufacturing and biosensing lab is pushing the boundaries of sensing, unraveling the mysteries of fabrication. Graduate student Lester Anderson diligently fine-tunes cantilever sensors to continuously monitor the electrospinning process. Photo courtesy of Gavin Hough.

This story was written in the spring of 2024 by GRAD 5144 (Communicating Science) student Ying-Xian Goh as part of an assignment to interview a classmate and write a news story about his research.

What if we could print body parts like we print photos? It might sound like science fiction, but with 3D printing technology it is closer than you think. 3D printing allows us to create complex structures of blended materials layer by layer, and there is a cool technique called electrospinning that adds to the mix. Now, electrospinning might sound like a DJ's trick from the vinyl LP days, but for Virginia Tech graduate student Lester Anderson, electrospinning is the subject of his research focus in additive manufacturing and automated materials science.

Electrospinning is a technique used to produce super-fine threads, or fibers, from a variety of materials, including polymers. These polymer fibers can then be assembled to replicate different structures, even mimicking human tissues.

Anderson's research is all about improving the electrospinning process and electrospun materials. He is developing a sensitive and affordable method to allow the continuous observation of electrospinning, helping engineers detect errors promptly and ensuring more precise and effective control of the process in the future.

Electrospinning involves using the force of an electric magnetic field to produce incredibly tiny fibers. Picture this: Anderson works with a setup that includes a polymeric solution in a reservoir (like a syringe) with a blunt needle, a pump, a high-voltage power source, and a collector. When Anderson establishes an electric field between the needle tip and the collector by applying voltage, it triggers a mesmerizing spinning process. As the solution flows, charges gather at the liquid's surface, creating minuscule threads known as electrospun (nano)fibers.

This image shows an electrospinning syringe pump, syringe, and electrospun fibers. — Image credit: Alharbi et al., J. Memb. Separ. Tech., 2016.

The special polymer contained in the polymeric solution Anderson uses to create these nanofibers is called polycaprolactone (PCL). Imagine PCL as a wobbly, jiggly magical Jell-O, but more flexible and bendy. Just like regular Jell-O can be molded and shaped, PCL can be, too. Other scientists use this magical Jell-O-like material to create things such as artificial bones for surgeries, replacing bones for those who have fractures.

Anderson's exploration involves understanding the relationship of variables like needle size (diameter), solution viscosity, or thickness, and electrical voltage, all shaping the outcome of electrospinning. In his study, he dissolves the Jell-O-like PCL and pushes it through a syringe. Then, he carefully controls both the rate of the PCL solution passing through the syringe and the strength of the electrical field, allowing him to observe and improve the electrospinning process. With his research, Anderson is weaving the magic of tiny Jell-O threads with potential applications that could help advance the fields of 3D printing and tissue engineering.