U.S. patent application number 12/291763 was filed with the patent office on 2010-04-08 for electro-spinning apparatus and electro-spinning method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Taiwan Textile Research Institute. Invention is credited to Haw-Jer Chang, Cheng-Chiang Huang.
Application Number | 20100084793 12/291763 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42075162 |
Filed Date | 2010-04-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100084793 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang; Cheng-Chiang ; et
al. |
April 8, 2010 |
Electro-spinning apparatus and electro-spinning method
Abstract
An electro-spinning apparatus includes a spinning jet, a stuff
supply unit, a solvent supply unit, a collection unit, and a
voltage driving unit. The spinning jet has a first channel and a
second channel. The first channel has a first outlet, and the
second channel has a second outlet. The stuff supply unit is
connected to the first channel and supplies a liquid stuff to the
first outlet. The solvent supply unit is connected to the second
channel and supplies a gaseous solvent to the second outlet. The
voltage driving unit applies a voltage difference between the
spinning jet and the collection unit, so that the liquid stuff is
spun and collected to the collection unit after being output from
the first outlet and passing through the gaseous solvent released
from the second outlet. Besides, an electro-spinning method is also
provided.
Inventors: |
Huang; Cheng-Chiang; (Yilan
County, TW) ; Chang; Haw-Jer; (Taipei County,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
J C PATENTS
4 VENTURE, SUITE 250
IRVINE
CA
92618
US
|
Assignee: |
Taiwan Textile Research
Institute
Taipei Hsien
TW
|
Family ID: |
42075162 |
Appl. No.: |
12/291763 |
Filed: |
November 12, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
264/465 ;
425/174.8E |
Current CPC
Class: |
D01D 5/0069
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
264/465 ;
425/174.8E |
International
Class: |
D01D 5/00 20060101
D01D005/00; D01D 13/00 20060101 D01D013/00; D06M 10/00 20060101
D06M010/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 2, 2008 |
TW |
97137958 |
Claims
1. An electro-spinning apparatus comprising: a spinning jet,
comprising a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first
channel comprises a first outlet, and the second channel comprises
a second outlet adjacent to the first outlet; a stuff supply unit,
connected to the first channel of the spinning jet, for supplying a
liquid stuff to the first outlet via the first channel; a solvent
supply unit, connected to the second channel of the spinning jet,
for supplying a gaseous solvent to the second outlet via the second
channel; a collection unit; and a voltage driving unit, connected
to the spinning jet and the collection unit, wherein the voltage
driving unit applies a voltage difference between the spinning jet
and the collection unit, such that the liquid stuff is spun and
collected to the collection unit after being output from the first
outlet and passing through the gaseous solvent released from the
second outlet.
2. The electro-spinning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
second outlet encloses the first outlet.
3. The electro-spinning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
second channel encloses the first channel.
4. The electro-spinning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
solvent supply unit comprises: a storage, for storing a liquid
solvent; and a heater, for heating the storage to gasify the liquid
solvent into a gaseous solvent.
5. The electro-spinning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
solvent supply unit further comprises: a gas storage tank,
connected to the storage, for providing a stable gas flow to the
storage, such that the gaseous solvent is uniformly supplied to the
second outlet.
6-14. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan
application serial no. 97137958, filed Oct. 2, 2008. The entirety
of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by
reference herein and made a part of this specification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to a spinning
apparatus and a spinning method, in particular, to an
electro-spinning apparatus and an electro-spinning method.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Since natural fibers are inferior to man-made fibers in
terms of application scope, manufacturing cost, process, and other
competitive condition, man-made fibers have become the mainstream
of the development of fiber materials. With the development of
nanotechnology, the electro-spinning technique is gradually valued
and applied in the manufacturing of man-made fibers. The
electro-spinning technique is characterized by flexible
combinations of abundant materials, and nearly one hundred kinds of
nanofibers have been successfully manufactured by using the
electro-spinning technique.
[0006] Generally speaking, the electro-spinning technique uses a
voltage difference between a spinning jet and a collection unit to
eject a liquid stuff in the spinning jet into a filament shape and
cure the liquid stuff on the collection unit. However, the stuff is
usually cured in an outlet of the spinning jet due to an
insufficient ejection speed or other environmental factors, which
causes a blocking at the outlet of the spinning jet. In addition,
the above case further causes an unstable ejection amount of the
stuff, such that spinning fibers formed in the collection unit are
excessively thick or have non-uniform thicknesses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an
electro-spinning apparatus, capable of reducing the probability of
blocking at an outlet of a spinning jet and avoiding the phenomenon
that spinning fibers are excessively thick and have non-uniform
thicknesses.
[0008] The present invention is additionally directed to an
electro-spinning method, capable of reducing the probability of
blocking at an outlet of a spinning jet and avoiding the phenomenon
that spinning fibers are excessively thick and have non-uniform
thicknesses.
[0009] The present invention provides an electro-spinning apparatus
including a spinning jet, a stuff supply unit, a solvent supply
unit, a collection unit, and a voltage driving unit. The spinning
jet has a first channel and a second channel. The first channel has
a first outlet, and the second channel has a second outlet. The
stuff supply unit is connected to the first channel and supplies a
liquid stuff to the first outlet. The solvent supply unit is
connected to the second channel and supplies a gaseous solvent to
the second outlet. The voltage driving unit applies a voltage
difference between the spinning jet and the collection unit, such
that the liquid stuff is spun and collected to the collection unit
after being output from the first outlet and passing through the
gaseous solvent released from the second outlet.
[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the above second
outlet encloses the first outlet.
[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the above second
channel encloses the first channel.
[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, the above solvent
supply unit includes a storage and a heater. The storage is used
for storing a liquid solvent. The heater is used for heating the
storage to gasify the liquid solvent into a gaseous solvent.
[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the above solvent
supply unit further includes a gas storage tank connected to the
storage, for providing a stable gas flow to the storage, such that
the gaseous solvent is uniformly supplied to the second outlet.
[0014] The present invention further provides an electro-spinning
method. A voltage difference is applied between a spinning jet and
a collection unit to spin a liquid stuff from an outlet of the
spinning jet to the collection unit. Meanwhile, a gaseous solvent
is supplied at the outlet, such that the liquid stuff output from
the outlet passes through the gaseous solvent at the outlet.
[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, in the above
electro-spinning method, the step of supplying the gaseous solvent
further includes supplying the gaseous solvent around the outlet at
the same time.
[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, in the above
electro-spinning method, the step of supplying the gaseous solvent
further includes adding a liquid solvent to gasify it into a
gaseous solvent and supplying the gaseous solvent to the
outlet.
[0017] In an embodiment of the present invention, a solute/solvent
of the above liquid stuff is ethylene-vinyl alcohol
copolymer/isopropanol+water, polyvinyl alcohol/water,
polyurethane/dimethyl acetamide, or polyacrylonitrile/dimethyl
formamide (DMF).
[0018] In an embodiment of the present invention, a weight
percentage of the above ethylene-vinyl alcohol
copolymer/isopropanol+water is 8%-12%.
[0019] In an embodiment of the present invention, a weight
percentage of the above polyvinyl alcohol/water is 8%-12%.
[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, a weight
percentage of the above polyurethane/dimethyl acetamide is
8%-16%.
[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, a weight
percentage of the above polyacrylonitrile/DMF is 8%-12%.
[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, a material of the
above gaseous solvent is water, ethyl alcohol, DMF, dimethyl
acetamide, glacial acetic acid, n-hexane, acetone, or methanol.
[0023] In the electro-spinning apparatus and electro-spinning
technique of the present invention, the liquid stuff first passes
through the gaseous solvent before being spun to the collection
unit, so as to reduce the probability that the liquid stuff is
cured at the outlet of the spinning jet to cause the blocking, and
to avoid the phenomenon that the spun filaments are excessively
thick and have non-uniform thicknesses due to the unstable ejection
amount of the stuff.
[0024] In order to make the aforementioned and other objects,
features and advantages of the present invention comprehensible,
preferred embodiments accompanied with figures are described in
detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further
understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate
embodiments of the invention and, together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an electro-spinning apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are respectively enlarged views of an
outlet of a spinning jet after the electro-spinning apparatus in
FIG. 1 operates for three minutes, five minutes, and ten minutes
without supplying a gaseous solvent.
[0028] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are respectively enlarged views of the
outlet of the spinning jet after the electro-spinning apparatus in
FIG. 1 operates for three minutes, five minutes, and ten minutes
with supplying the gaseous solvent.
[0029] FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are respectively enlarged views of
spinning fibers formed in a collection unit after the
electro-spinning apparatus in FIG. 1 operates for three minutes,
five minutes, and ten minutes without supplying the gaseous
solvent.
[0030] FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are respectively enlarged views of
spinning fibers formed in the collection unit after the
electro-spinning apparatus in FIG. 1 operates for three minutes,
five minutes, and ten minutes with supplying the gaseous
solvent.
[0031] FIGS. 6A and 6B are respectively bar charts illustrating
distribution proportions of diameters of the spinning fibers formed
in the collection unit after the electro-spinning apparatus in FIG.
1 operates for three minutes and five minutes without supplying the
gaseous solvent.
[0032] FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are respectively bar charts illustrating
distribution proportions of diameters of the spinning fibers formed
in the collection unit after the electro-spinning apparatus in FIG.
1 operates for three minutes, five minutes, and ten minutes with
supplying the gaseous solvent.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0033] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the
same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description
to refer to the same or like parts.
[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an electro-spinning apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to
FIG. 1, the electro-spinning apparatus 100 of this embodiment
includes a spinning jet 110, a stuff supply unit 120, a solvent
supply unit 130, a collection unit 140, and a voltage driving unit
150. The spinning jet 110 has a first channel 112 and a second
channel 114. The first channel 112 has a first outlet 112a, and the
second channel 114 has a second outlet 114a.
[0035] The stuff supply unit 120 is connected to the first channel
112 and supplies a liquid stuff to the first outlet 112a. The
solvent supply unit 130 is connected to the second channel 114 and
supplies a gaseous solvent to the second outlet 114a. The voltage
driving unit 150 applies a voltage difference between the spinning
jet 110 and the collection unit 140, such that the liquid stuff is
spun and collected to the collection unit 140 after being output
from the first outlet 112a and passing through the gaseous solvent
released from the second outlet 114a.
[0036] In this embodiment, the second outlet 114a encloses the
first outlet 112a and the second channel 114 encloses the first
channel 112, such that the electro-spinning apparatus 100 further
supplies the gaseous solvent around the first outlet 112a via the
second outlet 114a while supplying the gaseous solvent and forms a
solvent vapor region A at the outlet of the spinning jet 110 for
the liquid stuff to pass through.
[0037] Referring to FIG. 1, the solvent supply unit 130 includes a
storage 132 and a heater 134. The storage 132 is used for storing a
liquid solvent. The heater 134 is used for heating the storage 132
to gasify the liquid solvent into a gaseous solvent. In addition,
the solvent supply unit 130 further includes a gas storage tank 136
connected to the storage 132, for providing a stable gas flow to
the storage 132, such that the gaseous solvent is uniformly
supplied to the second outlet 114a.
[0038] Particularly, the collection unit 140 includes a conveyor
belt 142, a plurality of rotating elements 144, and a drive motor
(not shown) which are made of a metal material. The rotating
elements 144 are disposed in the conveyor belt 142, and the drive
motor is connected to the rotating elements 144, so as to drive the
rotating elements 144 to rotate continuously or discontinuously and
drive the conveyor belt 142 to rotate at the same time.
[0039] An electro-spinning method according to an embodiment of the
present invention is illustrated below with reference to FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, in the electro-spinning method of this
embodiment, a voltage difference is applied between the spinning
jet 110 and the collection unit 140 to spin a liquid stuff from the
first outlet 112a of the spinning jet 110 to the collection unit
140, and meanwhile a gaseous solvent is supplied at the first
outlet 112a, such that the liquid stuff output from the first
outlet 112a passes through the gaseous solvent at the first outlet
112a. In addition, the step of supplying the gaseous solvent
further includes adding a liquid solvent to gasify it into a
gaseous solvent and supplying the gaseous solvent to the first
outlet 112a.
[0040] The step of supplying the gaseous solvent further includes
supplying the gaseous solvent around the first outlet 112a at the
same time. It should be noted that, the present invention is not
limited to the method of supplying the gaseous solvent around the
first outlet 112a at the same time. That is, in addition to the
manner that the second outlet 114a encloses the first outlet 112a
and releases the gaseous solvent shown in FIG. 1, the gaseous
solvent may further be supplied around the first outlet 112a at the
same time in other manners.
[0041] A solute/solvent of the liquid stuff is, for example,
ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer/isopropanol+water having a weight
percentage of 8%-12%, polyvinyl alcohol/water having a weight
percentage of 8%-12%, polyurethane/dimethyl acetamide having a
weight percentage of 8%-16%, or polyacrylonitrile/dimethyl
formamide (DMF) having a weight percentage of 8%-12%.
[0042] In addition to this, the solute/solvent of the liquid stuff
may also be polyethylene glycol/water, polyethylene glycol
oxalate/water, polystyrene/DMF, styrene-butadiene-styrene
(SBS)/tetrahydrofuran (THF)+DMF, polycarbonate (PC)/TBF+DMF,
polycaprolactam (PA)/formic acid, polyimide/phenol,
polybenzimidazole/sulfuric acid, polyphenylamine/sulfuric acid,
polyaromatic amide/sulfuric acid, polyethylene/p-xylene,
poly(arylene sulfide sulfone)/phenol+tetrachloroethane,
polyglycolic acid/DMF, fibroin+chitin/formic acid, polylactic
acid/dichloromethane, or gelatin/water.
[0043] A material of the gaseous solvent may be sulfuric acid,
p-xylene, phenol, tetrachloroethane, dichloromethane, formic acid,
isopropanol, THF, toluene, aqueous ammonia, naphthane, glycerin,
water, ethyl alcohol, DMF, dimethyl acetamide, glacial acetic acid,
n-hexane, acetone, or methanol.
[0044] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are respectively enlarged views of an
outlet of a spinning jet after the electro-spinning apparatus in
FIG. 1 operates for three minutes, five minutes, and ten minutes
without supplying a gaseous solvent, and FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are
respectively enlarged views of the outlet of the spinning jet after
the electro-spinning apparatus in FIG. 1 operates for three
minutes, five minutes, and ten minutes with supplying the gaseous
solvent. Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, in the case that the
gaseous solvent is not supplied, the outlet of the spinning jet has
an obvious blocking phenomenon with the increase of the operation
time of the electro-spinning apparatus.
[0045] Then, referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, in comparison with
FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, the outlet of the spinning jet does not have
the blocking phenomenon with the increase of the operation time of
the electro-spinning apparatus in the case that the gaseous solvent
is supplied. Therefore, the gaseous solvent supplied by the
electro-spinning apparatus 100 (shown in FIG. 1) of this embodiment
can reduce the probability of the blocking at the outlet of the
spinning jet.
[0046] FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are respectively enlarged views of
spinning fibers formed in a collection unit after the
electro-spinning apparatus in FIG. 1 operates for three minutes,
five minutes, and ten minutes without supplying the gaseous
solvent, and FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are respectively enlarged views
of spinning fibers formed in the collection unit after the
electro-spinning apparatus in FIG. 1 operates for three minutes,
five minutes, and ten minutes with supplying the gaseous solvent.
Referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, in the case that the gaseous
solvent is not supplied, the spinning fibers formed in the
collection unit 140 (shown in FIG. 1) have an obvious phenomenon of
becoming thicker and having non-uniform thicknesses with the
increase of the operation time of the electro-spinning
apparatus.
[0047] Then, referring to FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, in comparison with
FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, the spinning fibers formed in the collection
unit 140 (shown in FIG. 1) does not have the obvious phenomenon of
becoming thicker or having non-uniform thicknesses with the
increase of the operation time of the electro-spinning apparatus in
the case that the gaseous solvent is supplied. Therefore, the
gaseous solvent supplied by the electro-spinning apparatus 100
(shown in FIG. 1) of this embodiment can avoid the phenomenon that
the spinning fibers are excessively thick and have non-uniform
thicknesses.
[0048] FIGS. 6A and 6B are respectively bar charts illustrating
distribution proportions of diameters of the spinning fibers formed
in the collection unit after the electro-spinning apparatus in FIG.
1 operates for three minutes and five minutes without supplying the
gaseous solvent, and FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are respectively bar
charts illustrating distribution proportions of diameters of the
spinning fibers formed in the collection unit after the
electro-spinning apparatus in FIG. 1 operates for three minutes,
five minutes, and ten minutes with supplying the gaseous solvent.
Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, in the case that the gaseous solvent
is not supplied, the spinning fibers formed in the collection unit
140 (shown in FIG. 1) have an obvious phenomenon of becoming
thicker and having non-uniform thicknesses with the increase of the
operation time of the electro-spinning apparatus.
[0049] Then, referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, in comparison with
FIGS. 6A and 6B, the spinning fibers formed in the collection unit
140 (shown in FIG. 1) does not have the obvious phenomenon of
becoming thicker or having non-uniform thicknesses with the
increase of the operation time of the electro-spinning apparatus in
the case that the gaseous solvent is supplied. Therefore, the
gaseous solvent supplied by the electro-spinning apparatus 100
(shown in FIG. 1) of this embodiment can avoid the phenomenon that
the spinning fibers are excessively thick and have non-uniform
thicknesses.
[0050] In view of the above, in the electro-spinning apparatus and
electro-spinning technique of the present invention, the liquid
stuff first passes through the gaseous solvent before being spun to
the collection unit, so as to reduce the probability that the
liquid stuff is cured at the outlet of the spinning jet to cause
the blocking, and to avoid the phenomenon that the spun filaments
are excessively thick and have non-uniform thicknesses due to the
unstable ejection amount of the stuff, thereby improving the
production yield of the spun filaments.
[0051] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the
present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the
invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the
present invention cover modifications and variations of this
invention provided they fall within the scope of the following
claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *