Method for elevated temperature electrospinning
First Claim
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1. A method for melt electrospinning production of non-woven fabric from meltable thermoplastic polymer or meltable thermoplastic polymer nanoclay nanocomposite, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) melting thermoplastic polymer or nanocomposite in a melting zone, wherein shielding with an electrostatic shielding element is provided;
(b) moving the melted thermoplastic polymer or nanocomposite through the melting zone by a force supplier upstream of or in the melting zone;
(c) providing an electric charge on the melted polymer to overcome the surface tension on the melted polymer to produce a jet of melted polymer or nanocomposite and provide unstable flow involving a plurality of electrically induced bending instabilities/whipping motions and elongation of and production of polymer or nanocomposite fibers; and
(d) collecting of the elongated fibers to form a non-woven fabric.
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Abstract
Elevated temperature electrospinning apparatus comprises a pump upstream of or containing a resistance heater, means to shield applied electrostatic field from the resistance heater, and a temperature modulator for modulating temperature in the spinning region.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for melt electrospinning production of non-woven fabric from meltable thermoplastic polymer or meltable thermoplastic polymer nanoclay nanocomposite, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) melting thermoplastic polymer or nanocomposite in a melting zone, wherein shielding with an electrostatic shielding element is provided; (b) moving the melted thermoplastic polymer or nanocomposite through the melting zone by a force supplier upstream of or in the melting zone; (c) providing an electric charge on the melted polymer to overcome the surface tension on the melted polymer to produce a jet of melted polymer or nanocomposite and provide unstable flow involving a plurality of electrically induced bending instabilities/whipping motions and elongation of and production of polymer or nanocomposite fibers; and (d) collecting of the elongated fibers to form a non-woven fabric. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 7, 8)
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4. A method for high temperature solution electrospinning of non-woven fabric from thermoplastic polymer or thermoplastic polymer nanoclay nanocomposite that is not dissolvable at room temperature in an acceptable solvent, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) homogenizing the polymer or nanocomposite in solvent in a first elevated temperature zone to form a solution of the polymer or nanocomposite in the solvent; (b) maintaining the solution at a temperature sufficient for maintaining dissolution in a second elevated temperature zone, wherein shielding with an electrostatic shielding element is provided; (c) moving the solution through the second elevated temperature zone by a force supplier upstream of or at the second elevated temperature zone; (d) providing an electric charge on the solution to overcome the surface tension of the solution to produce a jet of polymer or nanocomposite solution and provide unstable flow involving a plurality of electrically induced bending instabilities/whipping motions and flashing off of solvent and elongation of and production of polymer or nanocomposite fibers; and (e) collecting the fibers to form a non-woven fabric. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 9, 10)
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Specification