Jet assisted wet spinning of photopolymerizable material

Abstract

Systems and methods for fibrous material manufacturing are provided. The methods include dispensing a first stream of a solution (that includes a crosslinkable material) from first nozzle(s) into a bath containing a liquid (that includes a first material). The first nozzle(s) are submerged in the liquid. The methods include dispensing a second stream from second nozzle(s) also submerged in the liquid. The second stream(s) are configured to elongate and thin the first stream(s). The second stream contain a liquid. The liquid includes a second material, which may be the same, or may be different, form the first material. The methods include forming a fibrous material by crosslinking the crosslinkable material in the first stream (e.g., using a light source to cross-link a photo-crosslinkable material in the stream).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for fibrous material manufacturing, comprising:
 dispensing a first stream of a solution from a first nozzle into a bath containing a liquid while the first nozzle is submerged in the liquid, the liquid comprising a first material, the solution comprising a crosslinkable material;   dispensing a second stream from a second nozzle submerged in the liquid, the second stream configured to elongate and thin the first stream, the second stream containing a liquid comprising a second material; and   forming a fibrous material by crosslinking the crosslinkable material in the first stream.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are identical. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are different. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the crosslinkable material is a photo-crosslinkable material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising controlling a configuration of the fibrous material by: (1) varying a light intensity of a light source used to crosslink the photo-crosslinkable material, (2) adjusting a setting, position, and/or orientation of the first nozzle and/or adjusting a flow rate of the first nozzle and/or second nozzle, or (3) a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises the first material and a cross-linking agent. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the cross-linking agent is configured to crosslink the crosslinkable material to form a hollow fiber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method utilizes a single first stream. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first stream comprises a plurality of first streams, each first stream being adjacent to the second stream. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first nozzle comprises a plurality of first nozzles. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a setting, position, and/or orientation of each first nozzle is adjusted identically. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a setting, position, and/or orientation of at least one first nozzle is adjusted differently than a setting, position, and/or orientation of another first nozzle. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a setting, position, and/or orientation of less than all of the plurality of first nozzles are adjusted. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each first stream is exposed to a substantially same set of light conditions throughout the method. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a set of light conditions that at least one first stream is exposed to throughout the method is different from a set of light conditions that another first stream is exposed to throughout the method. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material has an outer diameter of 1 μm-1 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution is miscible in the liquid. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution is partially miscible in the liquid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution is immiscible in the liquid. 
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 one or more first nozzles configured to receive a solution comprising a crosslinkable material, each first nozzle configured to output a first stream;   one or more second nozzles configured to receive a liquid, where each first nozzle is adjacent to a second nozzle, each second nozzle configured to output a second stream such that the second stream can elongate and thin the first stream of at least one first nozzle;   a bath configured to allow the one or more first nozzles and the one or more second nozzles to be placed in the bath, submerged in the liquid; and   a light source configured to direct irradiation towards at least one first stream.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more first nozzles are configured to be stationary. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more first nozzles are configured to be adjustably positioned. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more first nozzles are each configured with an actuator to adopt at least one form of periodic motion. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a vessel directly beneath the first stream of each first nozzle, the vessel configured to collect crosslinked fibers after being irradiated by the light source. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a controller configured to control the light source. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of pumps, each pump operably connected at least one of the one or more first nozzles or at least one of the one or more second nozzles.