Method of preparing nanofibers via electro-blown spinning

• US 8,685,310 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DuPont Safety & Construction, Inc. (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.), Nano Technics Company, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Yong Min, Sung, Young Bin, Jang, Rai Sang, Ahn, Kyoung Ryoul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B
• Application Number:
  US13/470,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 264/464, 264/465, 264/466, 264/484
• 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 nanofiber web preparing method comprising the following steps of:

feeding a polymer solution, which is dissolved into a given solvent, to a spinning nozzle;

discharging the polymer solution via the spinning nozzle, which is applied with a high voltage, while injecting compressed air via the lower end of the spinning nozzle; and

spinning the polymer solution on a grounded suction collector under the spinning nozzle.

2. The nanofiber web preparing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the high voltage applied to the spinning nozzle is about 1 to 300 kV.

3. The nanofiber web preparing method as claimed in 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 nanofiber web preparing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressed air has a flow rate of about 10 to 10,000 m/min and a temperature of about room temperature to 300°

C.

5. The nanofiber web preparing method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the compressed air has a temperature ranging from a room temperature to 300°

C.

6. The nanofiber web preparing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of collecting fiber in the form of a web from the polymer solution spun on the collector.

7. The nanofiber web preparing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collector has a substrate disposed thereon for collecting the fiber spun in the form of a web on the substrate.

8. The nanofiber web preparing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer is one selected from a group including 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.