Polymer Electrospinning Apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing electrospun polymer fibres with a modified surface, processes for producing a polymer fibre with a modified surface, non-woven polymer fibre mats or meshes comprising an electrospun polymer fibre, including multi-layered electrospun polymer fibre meshes, and a kit including a directional plasma device.

1 . A plasma-electrospinning apparatus comprising a polymer electrospinning device for producing a polymer fibre and a directional plasma device, the directional plasma device being a plasma torch or a plasma plume-generating device, whereby the directional plasma device is arranged so that, during operation, a polymer composition from the polymer electrospinning device passes through a plasma jet or plasma plume from the directional plasma device. 
     
     
         2 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the directional plasma device is arranged so the plasma jet or plume extends at an angle more than 0° with respect to the overall direction of the jet of polymer composition along the polymer path from the polymer solution outlet to the polymer fibre collector. 
     
     
         3 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plasma electrode tip is arranged coaxially to the direction of the polymer path from the polymer composition outlet to the polymer fibre collector. 
     
     
         4 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the plasma electrode is tubular and forms the gas carrier conduit, and the electrospinning capillary tube is located within the gas carrier conduit/plasma electrode. 
     
     
         5 . A plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 1  where the polymer electrospinning device comprises at least two different plasma zones, whereby the plasma zones are arranged so that, during operation, the polymer composition from the electrospinning device passes through at least two distinct plasmas. 
     
     
         6 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the two plasma zones are arranged in series or opposing one another. 
     
     
         7 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the different plasma generated in the different plasma zones differs in one or more of carrier gas types, different types of carrier gas additive, different concentration of carrier additive, different carrier gas flow rates and different plasma strengths. 
     
     
         8 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein one of the plasma zones, optionally both of the plasma zones, includes a directional plasma device. 
     
     
         9 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the directional plasma device includes a gas carrier conduit having two or more carrier gas cavities, each carrier gas cavity having a different carrier gas inlet for feeding in a different carrier gas or carrier gas-additive mixture. 
     
     
         10 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrospinning device includes a composite polymer fibre collector having a collecting frame with an electrically conducting element, the electrically conducting element being electrically connected to an electrically chargeable part. 
     
     
         11 . The plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the electrically non-conductive collecting frame is rectangular or square and the electrically conducting element(s) span between the two opposing sides of the frame so that the element extends within the frame. 
     
     
         12 . Use of a plasma-electrospinning apparatus according to  claim 1  to produce a surface-modified polymer fibre, the apparatus comprising a polymer electrospinning device for producing a polymer fibre and a directional plasma device, the directional plasma device being a plasma torch or a plasma plume-generating device, whereby the directional plasma device is arranged so that, during operation, a polymer composition from the polymer electrospinning device passes through a plasma jet or plasma plume from the directional plasma device. 
     
     
         13 . A process for producing a polymer fibre with a modified surface, the process includes
 (i) forming a jet of polymer composition from an electrospinning device; and   (ii) passing the jet of polymer composition through a plasma jet or plasma plume from a directional plasma device, wherein the directional plasma device is a plasma torch or a plasma plume-generating device.   
     
     
         14 . A The process for producing a polymer fibre with a modified surface according to  claim 13 , wherein
 (i) forming a jet of polymer composition from an electrospinning device; and   (ii) passing the jet of polymer composition passes through the plasma generated by at least two different plasma zones.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A non-woven polymer mat mesh comprising electrospun polymer fibre, wherein the electrospun polymer fibre includes:
 (i) a polymer core and two or more plasma-coated coatings;   (ii) a polymer core with a plasma-modified surface and at least one plasma-coated coating;   (iii) a polymer core and at least one plasma-coated coating with a plasma-modified outer surface;   (iv) at least two plasma-treated sections, wherein the plasma-treated sections are different.   
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A multi-layered electrospun polymer fibre mesh having two or more layers of electrospun polymer fibre, wherein at least one layer has plasma-treated electrospun polymer fibre. 
     
     
         19 . The multi-layered electrospun polymer fibre mesh according to  claim 18 , wherein the two or more electrospun polymer layers form a laminate and the electrospun polymer fibres within each layer are oriented substantially parallel to one another, and the polymer fibres in one layer are at an angle between 0° and 90° to the polymer fibres of an adjacent layer. 
     
     
         20 . The electrospun polymer laminate of  claim 19 , wherein the polymer fibres in one layer are at an angle between 30° and 90° to the polymer fibres of an adjacent layer. 
     
     
         21 . The multi-layered electrospun polymer fibre mesh according to  claim 18 , wherein two or more electrospun polymer fibre layers have plasma-treated electrospun polymer fibre, and each plasma-treated electrospun polymer fibre is differently plasma-treated to the other plasma-treated electrospun polymer fibres. 
     
     
         22 . A kit comprising a directional plasma device, and:
 (i) a directional plasma device attachment for fitting the plasma torch to an electrospinning device so that, during operation, a polymer composition from a polymer electrospinning device passes through a plasma jet or plasma plume from the directional plasma device, and optionally the directional plasma device attachment includes a goniometer; or   (ii) a composite polymer fibre collector having a collecting frame with an electrically conducting element, the electrically conducting element being electrically connected to an electrically chargeable part.   
     
     
         23 - 24 . (canceled)