Manufacturing device and the method of preparing for the nanofibers via electro-blown spinning process

• US 8,178,029 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Yong Min, Sung, Young Bin, Jang, Rai Sang, Ahn, Kyoung Ryoul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B
• Application Number:
  US12/568,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20100013127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 264/465, 264/466, 264/468
• US Class Current: 264/465
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0038 the fibre formed by solvent evaporation, i.e. dry electro-spinning
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0061 characterised by the electro-spinning apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0069 characterised by the spinning section, e.g. capillary tube, protrusion or pin
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/14 with flowing liquid or gaseous stretching media , e.g. solution-blowing
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/18 from polymers of unsaturated nitriles, e.g. polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene cyanide
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/38 comprising unsaturated nitriles as the major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/60 from polyamides from polyamino acids or polypeptides D01F6/68
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/728 by electro-spinning electro-spinning methods and apparatus D01D5/0007
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/03 at random
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/16 with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/614 Strand or fiber material specified as having microdimensions [i.e., microfiber]

Abstract

The invention relates to a nanofiber web preparing apparatus and method via electro-blown spinning. The nanofiber web preparing method includes feeding a polymer solution, which is a polymer dissolved into a given solvent, toward a spinning nozzle, discharging the polymer solution via the spinning nozzle, which is charged with a high voltage, while injecting compressed air via the lower end of the spinning nozzle, and collecting fiber spun in the form of a web on a grounded suction collector under the spinning nozzle, in which both of thermoplastic and thermosetting resins are applicable, the solution does not need to be heated and electrical insulation is readily realized.

Claims

1. A method for preparing nanofiber webs comprising:

feeding a polymer solution to a spinning nozzle at a discharge rate between about 0.1 to 5 cc/min·

hole;

compressively discharging the polymer solution through the spinning nozzle, which is charged with a high voltage, while injecting compressed air through an air nozzle positioned adjacent the lower end of the spinning nozzle to form nanofibers; and

collecting the nanofibers on a grounded collector under the spinning nozzle in the form of a nanofiber web and wherein the spinning nozzle comprises a capillary tube at its discharge end.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinning nozzle is charged between about 1 to 300 kV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer solution is compressively discharged through the spinning nozzle under a discharge pressure in the range of about 0.01 to 200 kg/cm².

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the compressed air has a flow rate of about 10 to 10,000 m/min and a temperature from about room temperature to 300°

C.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the compressed air has a temperature ranging from room temperature to about 100°

C.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said nanofiber is spun directly onto the collector.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanofiber web is spun onto a substrate disposed on said collector.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer is one of polyimide, nylon, polyaramide, polybenzimidazole, polyetherimide, polyacrylonitrile, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), polypropylene, polyaniline, polyethylene oxide, PEN (polyethylene naphthalate), PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), SBR (styrene butadiene rubber), polystyrene, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polyvinyl alcohol, PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), polyvinyl butylene and copolymers or derivative compounds thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the spun nanofibers are collected under vacuum onto the grounded collector.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the difference between the distance between the lower end of the air nozzle and the lower end of spinning nozzle is characterized by a distance “

e”

for which a positive value represents the air nozzle being in the upstream direction of the polymer stream, and where the length of the nozzle projection “

e”

is from 0 to 10 mm.

10. A method for preparing nanofiber webs comprising:

feeding a polymer solution to a spinning nozzle at a discharge rate between about 0.1 to 5 cc/min·

hole;

compressively discharging the polymer solution through the spinning nozzle, which is charged with a high voltage, while injecting compressed air through an air nozzle positioned adjacent the discharge end of the spinning nozzle to form nanofibers; and

collecting the nanofibers on a grounded collector in the form of a nanofiber web and wherein the spinning nozzle comprises a capillary tube at its discharge end.

11. A method for preparing nanofiber webs comprising:

feeding a polymer solution to a spinning nozzle;

discharging the polymer solution through the spinning nozzle at a discharge rate between about 0.1 to 5 cc/min·

hole and at a discharge pressure of between 0.1 to about 20 kg/cm², which spinning nozzle is charged with a high voltage, while injecting compressed air through an air nozzle positioned adjacent the discharge end of the spinning nozzle to form nanofibers; and

collecting the nanofibers on a grounded collector in the form of a nanofiber web and wherein the spinning nozzle comprises a capillary tube at its discharge end.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said discharge pressure is between about 3 and 20 kg/cm².