Apparatus for continuous needleless electrospinning a nanoscale or submicron scale polymer fiber web onto a substrate

• Main Authors: Peters, Richard, Pearson, Evelyn, Jin, Xuezhi
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.08.2021
• Subjects: APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBONFILAMENTS; CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS,THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OFARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES ORRIBBONS; NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING; TEXTILES

An apparatus for continuous needleless electrospinning of a nanoscale or submicron scale polymer fiber web onto a substrate includes an electrospinning enclosure that includes at least one liquid polymer coating device and an electro spinning zone and a wire drive system located external to the electro spinning enclosure. The wire drive system drives a plurality of continuous electrode wires through the electrospinning enclosure. A liquid polymer recycle and feed system is located external to the electrospinning enclosure and includes a recycle and feed tank that supplies liquid polymer to and receives overflow liquid polymer from the at least one liquid polymer coating device. A vapor collection and solvent recovery system includes at least one exhaust stream, collects and processes vapors generated in the electrospinning enclosure, and maintains a pressure in the electrospinning enclosure that is lower than atmospheric pressure.