Systems and methods for fiber zone-drawing and/or zone-annealing

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure is related to system and method of manufacturing nanomaterials and particularly to system and method for zone-drawing and/or zone-annealing fibers.

1 . A system for manipulating fibers, the system comprising:
 a first collection surface and a second collection surface, each having a proximate end and a distal end, wherein the proximate ends define a proximate gap, and the distal ends define a distal gap; and   a radiation source adapted and configured to project radiation through a least a portion of a distance defined between the proximate gap and the distal gap.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the distal gap has a different distance as compared to the proximate gap. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the distal gap has the same distance as the proximate gap. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation is projected at an angle relative to a center axis defined by the first collection surface and the second collection surface. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the angle ranges from about 0 to about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the angle is about 0 or about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation source comprises a laser radiation or a non-laser radiation. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is further adapted and configured to scan the projected radiation at one or more different angles relative to the first collection surface and the second collection surface. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the laser radiation is polarized, and wherein the angle between the polarized laser polarization direction and the fiber axis ranges from about 0 to about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the laser radiation is polarized at a frequency from about 0 to about 100 GHz. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle adapted and configured to deposit a fiber onto the first collection surface and second collection surface, wherein one end of the fiber is deposited on the first collection surface and another end of the fiber is deposited onto the second collection surface. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , which is adapted and configured to promote zone-annealing or zone-carbonizing of the fiber. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first collection surface and the second collection surface are configured or adapted to:
 collect one or more fibers at the respective proximate ends; and   transport the one or more fibers from the respective proximate ends towards the respective distal ends.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is further adapted and configured to project radiation onto a section of a fiber deposited on the first collection surface and the second collection surface, wherein the section of the fiber is dependent on a position of the fiber along a length of the first collection surface and a length of the second collection surface. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is further adapted or configured to project radiation onto a respective section of a plurality of fibers. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the respective section for each of the plurality of fibers is dependent on a position of the corresponding fiber along a length of the first collection surface and a length of the second collection surface. 
     
     
         17 . A method of zone-annealing or zone-carbonization fibers, the method comprising:
 depositing a first end of a fiber onto a proximate end of a first collection surface and a second end of the fiber onto a proximate end of a second collection surface;   transporting the fiber distally away from the proximate end of the first collection surface and the proximate end of the second collection surface; and   projecting radiation onto a section of the fiber via a radiation source, wherein the section receiving the radiation is dependent on a position of the fiber with respect to the proximate end of the first collection surface and the proximate end of the second collection surface during the transporting.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising electrospinning, centrifugal spinning, track spinning (mechanical pulling), or 3D printing the fiber prior to the depositing. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising modifying a length of the fiber during the transporting. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 depositing a plurality of fibers onto the first collection surface and the second collection surface,   wherein a first end for each of the plurality of fibers is deposited onto the first collection surface and a second end for each of the plurality of fibers is deposited onto the second collection surface, and   wherein the plurality of fibers can be electrically coupled to the first collection surface and the second collection surface simultaneously.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein two or more of the plurality of fibers receive radiation from the radiation source simultaneously. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a section receiving the radiation for each of two or more of the plurality of fibers is dependent on a position of each of the two or more fibers with respect to the proximate end of the first collection surface and the proximate end of the second collection surface during the transporting. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first collection surface comprises a first conveyor belt and wherein the second collection surface comprises a second conveyor belt. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising heating the section of fiber via the projected radiation. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the heating the section of fiber exceeds at least one of the glass transition temperature of the fiber and the melting temperature of the fiber. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fiber comprises polyacrylonitrile (PAN).