Metal and Ceramic Nanofibers with High-Precursor Electrospinning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing ceramic or metallic nanofibers, such as sol-gel electrospinning, result in low performance and poor coherence, making them unsuitable for various applications due to high voids and defects.
Innovation Solution
The process involves electrospinning a fluid stock with a high concentration of ceramic or metal precursors, where the weight-to-weight ratio of precursors to polymer is at least 1:2, and subsequent calcination to produce high-quality, coherent, and continuous nanofibers with few voids and defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sol-gel electrospinning is used to produce ceramic or metallic nanofibers, then nanofiber production is achieved, but the nanofibers have low performance and poor coherence with high voids and defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of the fluid stock from conventional low concentration to high concentration (at least 200 mM precursor concentration, weight-to-weight ratio of precursor to polymer at least 1:2). This parameter change ensures sufficient precursor availability during electrospinning, enabling formation of coherent nanofibers with minimal voids and defects, thereby simultaneously improving both manufacturing precision and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures uniform local distribution of precursors throughout the fluid stock through thorough mixing, creating homogeneous nanofiber structure at the local level. This uniform precursor distribution prevents localized defects and voids, improving both the coherence (manufacturing precision) and structural integrity (reliability) of the nanofibers
2Manufacturing precision
If high concentration of precursor is used in fluid stock, then nanofiber quality and coherence are improved, but production cost may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The high concentration precursor fluid stock enables the electrospinning process to be self-sufficient, producing high-quality nanofibers directly without requiring subsequent complex post-processing steps such as additional sintering, coating, or defect repair operations. This self-service capability reduces overall manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining high nanofiber quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for multiple post-processing steps by incorporating sufficient precursor concentration into the initial fluid stock formulation. This extraction of unnecessary processing steps simplifies the manufacturing workflow and reduces production costs while maintaining high nanofiber quality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method produces nanofibers with improved structural integrity, tunable length, and advanced properties, making them suitable for applications in electrochemical devices, filtration, and catalysis, while reducing production costs to be commercially viable.
Implementation Method 1
the nanofibers are produced by electrospinning a fluid stock comprising a high concentration of ceramic or metal precursor in the fluid feed stock
Implementation Method 2
subsequent calcination to produce high-quality, coherent, and continuous nanofibers
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are nanofibers and processes of preparing nanofibers. In some instances, the nanofibers are metal and/or ceramic nanofibers. In some embodiments, the nanofibers are high quality, high performance nanofibers, highly coherent nanofibers, highly continuous nanofibers, or the like. In some embodiments, the nanofibers have increased coherence, increased length, few voids and/or defects, and/or other advantageous characteristics. In some instances, the nanofibers are produced by electrospinning a fluid stock having a high loading of nanofiber precursor in the fluid stock. In some instances, the fluid stock comprises well mixed and/or uniformly distributed precursor in the fluid stock. In some instances, the fluid stock is converted into a nanofiber comprising few voids, few defects, long or tunable length, and the like.