Patent ID: 8066932
Filing Date: 2011-11-29
Classification: C04B,D01D,D01F

Abstract:
1. A method for forming cross-linked polymer nanofibers or gel nanofibers by reactive electrospinning; said method comprising the steps of: (a) supplying one or more reagents to a reactor; and initiating a chemical reaction or a photochemical reaction of the one or more reagents within the reactor, within the Taylor cone of an electrospinning process, or in the jet of an electrospinning process; (i) wherein the reaction or photochemical reaction produces one or more of: a product with a substantially higher degree of crosslinking than the reagents, or a gel product from a sol-gel transition reaction mixture; and (ii) wherein the reaction mixture or photochemical reaction mixture would become too viscous to undergo electrospinning into nanofibers within about 30 minutes or sooner after the reaction is initiated; (b) electrospinning the reaction mixture onto a collector; wherein said electrospinning occurs before the reaction mixture becomes too viscous to undergo electrospinning into nanofibers; and (c) allowing the reaction to continue during electrospinning, or on the collector, or both; to produce cross-linked polymer nanofibers or gel nanofibers on the collector, wherein at least some of the nanofibers have a diameter less than about 5 μm.