Hybrid manufacturing platform to produce multifunctional polymeric films

• US 8,889,054 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Akron
• Original Assignee: University of Akron
• Inventors: Cakmak, Mukerrem, Reneker, Darrell H., Yalcin, Baris
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B
• Application Number:
  US12/090,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20090020921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,954 Days
• Field of Search: 264/171.1, 264/172.19, 264/465, 264/216, 264/331.21
• US Class Current: 264/465
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/14 for making articles of indefinite length by depositing material on a substrate and stripping off the shaped article B29C41/24
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/50 for producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC]
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/02 in the form of fibres or filaments not used
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/14 next to a particulate layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/30 one layer being formed of particles, e.g. chips, granules, powder
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0023 the material being a polymer melt
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/003 the material being a polymer solution or dispersion D01D5/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0084 Coating by electro-spinning, i.e. the electro-spun fibres are not removed from the collecting device but remain integral with it, e.g. coating of prostheses

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing hybrid materials of thin polymer films with single, laminated, complete and/or partially embedded nanofibers to obtain products with unique functional properties. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a method that comprises the combination of two process technologies; a thin film solution casting process (tape casting, solvent casting) and an electrospinning process, in order to produce hybrid materials of thin polymer films with single, laminated, completely and/or partially embedded electrospun nanofibers to obtain products with unique functional properties. In another embodiment of the present invention, fibers and/or nanofibers of a chosen material are spun directly on to substrates of polymer solutions and/or monomers solutions, were such solutions are located on a carrier belt that is electrically and/or ionically conductive.

Claims

1. A method for producing a nanofiber-polymer film combination, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) solution casting a polymer film to provide a solution-cast polymer film, the solution-cast polymer film including solvent,

(B) electrospinning nanofibers onto the solution-cast polymer film of step (A) before the evaporation of the solvent of the solution-cast polymer film to completely or partially embed one or more electorospun nanofibers into the solution-cast polymer film.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more nanofibers have an average diameter in the range of 3 nanometers to about 3,000 nanometers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more nanofibers have an average diameter in the range of about 7 nanometers to about 1,000 nanometers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more nanofibers have an average diameter in the range of about 10 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer film is formed from a poly(amic acid).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers are formed from any polymer compound that is electrospun.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the nanofibers are formed from polyethylene oxide.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers are formed from any polymer compound that is subjected to a nanofiber by gas jet process.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two nanofibers are completely or partially embedded into the solution-cast polymer film.

10. A method for producing a nanofiber-polymer film combination, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) solution casting a polymer film to provide a solution-cast polymer film, the solution-cast polymer film including solvent;

(b) subjecting the solution-cast polymer film to at least one heating zone; and

thereafter

(c) electrospinning nanofibers onto the solution cast polymer film of steps (a) and (b) before the evaporation of the solvent of the solution-cast polymer film to completely or partially embed one or more layers of nanofibers into the solution-cast polymer film.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more nanofibers have an average diameter in the range of 3 nanometers to about 3,000 nanometers.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more nanofibers have an average diameter in the range of about 7 nanometers to about 1,000 nanometers.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more nanofibers have an average diameter in the range of about 10 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the polymer film is formed from a poly(amic acid).

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the nanofibers are formed from polyethylene oxide.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least two nanofibers are completely or partially embedded into the polymer film.