Apparatus and method for producing nanofiber

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for producing a nanofiber by using a melt blown method improving productivity. A pellet-shaped raw material (resin) fed into a hopper 2 is supplied and melted in a heating cylinder 3 heated by a heater 4 , and sent to a front part of the heating cylinder 3 by a screw 5 rotated by a motor 6 . The heating cylinder 3 is provided with a head portion 7 , and a high-pressure gas is ejected from the gas ejection hole 71 provided at a center of the head portion 7 . The molten resin sent to an end of the heating cylinder 3 is discharged from a resin discharge hole 73 having six superfine tubes provided in a downstream side of the resin ejection hole 73 through inside of the head portion 7 . The molten resin discharged from the resin discharge hole 73 is elongated and a fiber having nanometer-order diameter can be formed.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for producing a nanofiber comprising a liquid raw material discharge unit for discharging a liquid raw material to a high-pressure gas flow ejected from a high-pressure gas ejection unit, wherein a plurality of said liquid raw material discharge units are provided around a center of the high-pressure gas flow ejected from said high-pressure gas ejection unit. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for producing the nanofiber according to  claim 11 , wherein said liquid raw material discharge unit comprises an extruding unit for melting and extruding a raw material. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for producing the nanofiber according to  claim 11 , wherein said liquid raw material discharge unit comprises a unit for supplying dissolved raw material. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for producing the nanofiber according to  claim 11 , wherein said high-pressure gas ejection unit is provided with a gas supply unit for supplying a high-pressure and a high-temperature gas, and said high-pressure gas ejection unit ejects said high-temperature gas in a high pressure. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for producing the nanofiber according  claim 11 , comprising an angle adjustment unit capable of adjusting an installation angle of said liquid raw material discharge unit to the high-pressure gas flow ejected from said high-pressure gas ejection unit. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for producing the nanofiber according  claim 11 , wherein at least two or more said liquid raw material discharge unit are symmetrically provided to said high-pressure gas ejection unit. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for producing the nanofiber according  claim 11 , wherein said liquid raw material discharge units are is equally provided around the high-pressure gas flow ejected from said high-pressure gas ejection unit. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for producing the nanofiber according  claim 11 , wherein the high-pressure gas flow ejected from said high-pressure gas ejection unit is provided in a vertical direction to an installation surface of the nanofiber producing apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . A method for producing a nanofiber by discharging a liquid raw material from a liquid raw material discharge unit to a high-pressure gas flow ejected from a high-pressure gas ejection means, wherein a discharge angle of the liquid raw material discharged from said liquid raw material discharge unit to said high-pressure gas flow is adjusted, when a plurality of said liquid raw material discharge units discharge the liquid raw material to the high-pressure gas flow as a center ejected from said high-pressure gas ejection unit. 
     
     
         20 . A method for producing a nanofiber using a nanofiber producing apparatus comprising a heating cylinder to which a raw material is fed, a heating unit for heating the heating cylinder, and an extruding unit for extruding the raw material in said heating cylinder, wherein, an end portion of said heating cylinder is provided with a gas ejection hole for ejecting a high-pressure gas, a plurality of raw material discharge units for discharging the raw material in melting state in said heating cylinder are provided around said gas ejection hole, and a fiber having nanometer-order diameter is obtained by heating said heating cylinder by said heating unit, by melting the raw material supplied in said heating cylinder or being maintained in a melting state, by extruding the raw material from said extruding unit and discharging from said raw material discharge unit, by generating an air current by the gas ejected from said gas ejection hole, and by carrying and elongating said discharged raw material along with the air current of the ejected gas from the periphery.