Metal and Ceramic Nanofibers

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid stock is co-axially electrospun with a gas. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the weight-to-weight ratio of the precursor(s) to polymer is at least 4:1. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the precursor(s) is present in the fluid stock in a concentration of at least 200 mM. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor comprises one or more metal acetate, metal nitrate, metal chloride, metal methoxide, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyvinyl ether, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyglycolic acid, hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), ethylcellulose, cellulose ethers, polyacrylic acid, polyisocyanate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor comprises metal acetate and the polymer comprises polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising calcining the electrospun material. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the calcining of the electrospun material comprises thermally treating the electrospun material, chemically treating the electrospun material, or both. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein calcining the electrospun material comprises removing polymer from the electrospun material and converting metal precursor to metal, metal oxide, and/or ceramic. 
     
     
         10 . A nanofiber comprising a non-sol-gel metal precursor(s) and polymer, the weight to weight ratio of the precursor(s) to polymer being at least 3:1. 
     
     
         11 . A process for producing one or more nanofiber, the process comprising electrospinning a fluid stock, the fluid stock comprising a high concentration of metal precursor(s), the metal precursor(s) being non-sol-gel precursor(s), the weight to weight ratio of the metal precursor(s) to a polymer in the fluid stock being at least 3:1; the fluid stock being aqueous; and the high concentration of metal precursor(s) being at least 100 mM. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid stock is co-axially electrospun with a gas. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the metal precursor(s) is not metal alkoxide. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the metal precursor(s) comprise one or more non-sol-gel precursor of silicon or an oxide thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises preparing the fluid stock by combining the metal precursor(s), the polymer and an aqueous medium, the metal precursor(s) and polymer being combined in a weight-to-weight ratio of over 3:1, wherein the metal precursor(s) being combined in the fluid stock is a solid. 
     
     
         16 . The nanofiber of  claim 10 , wherein the non-sol-gel metal precursor(s) comprise a precursor of silicon or an oxide thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The nanofiber of  claim 10 , wherein polymer is not a combination of different polymer types. 
     
     
         18 . A process for producing one or more nanofiber, the process comprising electrospinning a fluid stock, the fluid stock comprising a high concentration of metal precursor(s), the metal precursor(s) being non-sol-gel precursor(s), the weight to weight ratio of the metal precursor(s) to a polymer in the fluid stock being at least 1.5:1; the fluid stock being aqueous; and the high concentration of metal precursor(s) being at least 100 mM; and the polymer is not a combination of different polymer types.