Quantifying the interplay of process variables in electro-blowing: An expert-driven best-worst method approach for optimized nanofiber fabrication

Electro-blowing (EB) has emerged as a transformative high-throughput technology for nanofiber fabrication, bridging the gap between laboratory-scale electrospinning and industrial production requirements. However, the simultaneous interaction of electrostatic forces and high-velocity air streams creates a complex multi-physical environment where process optimization remains a significant challenge. This study presents a comprehensive quantitative prioritization of EB process and material variables by employing the Best-Worst Method (BWM) to move beyond conventional empirical trial-and-error approaches. To ensure high scientific rigor, a two-stage bibliometric analysis was first conducted using Web of Science data, confirming a sharp upward trend in EB research while highlighting a critical void in systematic parameter weighting. Subsequently, a panel of 20 domain experts was consulted to evaluate the relative importance of key variables. After applying a strict consistency filter, the judgments of 15 highly consistent experts were synthesized, achieving an exceptionally low average inconsistency ratio ( ξ a v g L = 0.05779 ). The findings reveal that solution concentration (22.97%), viscosity (18.38%), and molecular weight (16.04%) constitute the primary critical triad, governing 57.39% of the total process influence. Secondary factors such as applied voltage (11.08%) and air pressure (10.05%) were found to play vital but subordinate roles in fiber attenuation. Crucially, this theoretical BWM hierarchy was successfully validated through physical experiments on Polylactic Acid (PLA) nanofibers. The experimental results strongly correlated with the expert-derived consensus, practically confirming that material rheology dictates the fundamental spinnability of the jet, while operational variables act as secondary mechanistic drivers to fine-tune fiber morphology. By integrating expert heuristic knowledge with the BWM’s structured weighting and empirical validation, this study establishes a robust, mathematically grounded roadmap for the reproducible and scalable development of advanced nanofibrous membranes.