The rapid advancement of technologies in nanoscience and materials engineering necessitates integrating these concepts into pre-university education to equip students with essential experimental and scientific skills. In this context, introducing topics such as electrospinning, melt-spinning, and dry-spinning in nanofiber manufacturing can play a crucial role in preparing future engineers and researchers.

The NANOELSE project is developing nanofiber structures manufactured by electrospinning for the production of semiconductors. Electrospinning involves the manipulation of polymer solutions, melts or suspension to create distinct structures with high surface area, modifiable compositions and tunable morphologies. NANOELSE is proposing a novel approach using conductive polymers and incorporating carbon nano-horns with metallic oxides into the fibers. In this way, the performance of sensors is facilitated by enabling the electron transfer obtaining an enhanced sensitivity and a decreased detection limit due to charge transfer kinetics and electrocatalytic properties.

In this paper, we are presenting an overview of the NANOELSE project along with a literature review on introducing innovative scientific and technological concepts in the pre-university curricula. Our review is focusing on nanofiber production technologies along with related aspects and mathematical concepts. A.Y. Nuryantini et al. [1] proposed a method to improve scientific literacy of pre-university students by introducing the technology of nanofiber fabrication using electrospinning approach. Another study by X. K. Liu et al. [2] aims to improve and develop teaching of specific topics of material engineering starting from understanding traditional spinning method such as the wet-spinning technique to introduce more advanced electrospinning process. S. Jennifer et al. [3] proposed a project in which students are taught about the fundamental principles of nanotechnology while participating in practical activities to manufacture electrospun nanofibers. Additionally, semiconductors theory and concepts have been proposed to be implemented in high-school curricula according to several studies [4], [5].

This article will contribute in promoting novel approached to nanofiber production, as part of the NANOELSE project, in the context of the importance of introducing such concepts in the pre-university education to foster scientific curiosity, critical and analytical thinking.

References:
[1] A.Y. Nuryantini, A. Rajak, M. P. Ekaputra, A. Rahma, M. M. Munir, and Khairurrijal, “Introducing Electrospinning Technique for Producing Nanofibers to Improve Scientific Literacy of Senior High School Students,” in Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Advances in Education Technology, Atlantis Press, Feb. 2015.
[2] X.-K. Liu et al., From Traditional Spinning to Advanced Electrospinning-Material Engineering Teaching in High School. 2017.
[3] Jennifer S., Danielle Tadros, and Paul Holt, “Exploring Nanotechnology with Electrospinning: Design, experiment, and discover!,” 2012.
[4] H. Mehraban, A. Ash, E. Dyke, and J. Hu, “WIP: Introducing Semiconductors in a High School Calculus Class: A Pilot Implementation,” in 2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), IEEE, Oct. 2024, pp. 1–5.
[5] A. García-Carmona and A. M. Criado, “Introduction to semiconductor physics in secondary education: Evaluation of a teaching sequence,” Int J Sci Educ, vol. 31, no. 16, pp. 2205–2245, Nov. 2009.

Keywords: Pre-university curricula, nanofiber technologies, electrospinning.