Process of making fibers by electric-field-driven spinning using low-conductivity fluid formulations

• Main Authors: ROBERTSON JOHN A, WASHINGTON, JR. ANDREW L, SCOTT ASHLEY S
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.08.2013
• Subjects: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; LAUNDERING; TEXTILES; TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS,FABRICS, FEATHERS, OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS

A first method comprises: dissolving a polymer in a terpene, terpenoid, or aromatic solvent to form a polymer solution; dissolving a salt in a polar organic solvent to form a salt solution; and mixing the salt solution and the polymer solution to form a mixture. The salt and the polar organic solvent do not cause substantial precipitation of the polymer upon mixing with the polymer solution. A resulting terpene, terpenoid, or aromatic solvent phase of the mixture is suitable for forming fibers by electric-field-driven spinning from one or more spinning tips onto a target substrate. A composition comprises the terpene, terpenoid, or aromatic solvent phase of the mixture resulting from the method. A second method comprises forming fibers by electric-field-driven spinning of the first composition from one or more spinning tips onto a target substrate. A second composition comprises the fibers formed by the second method.