Fiber and method of forming the same

Abstract

Various embodiments may relate to a method of forming a fiber. The method may include forming a tube using a thermal drawing process. The method may also include providing one or more mixtures into the tube. The method may further include freezing the one or more mixtures within the tube using a freeze-casting process such that a first plurality of walls formed by MXene sheets and a second plurality of walls formed by nanomaterials, the MXene sheets and the nanomaterials comprised in the one or more mixtures, define a plurality of spaces within the tube, thereby forming the fiber.

1 . A method of forming a fiber, the method comprising:
 forming a tube using a thermal drawing process;   providing one or more mixtures into the tube; and   freezing the one or more mixtures within the tube using a freeze-casting process such that a first plurality of walls formed by MXene sheets and a second plurality of walls formed by nanomaterials, the MXene sheets and the nanomaterials comprised in the one or more mixtures, define a plurality of spaces within the tube, thereby forming the fiber.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the tube comprises an inner layer of carbon-loaded polycarbonate (CPC); and   wherein the tube further comprises an outer layer of polycarbonate (PC) surrounding a circumferential surface of the inner layer.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises electrical conductors. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the electrical conductors are copper wires. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more mixtures comprises a dispersion including the MXene sheets and deionized water;   wherein the one or more mixtures further comprises a nano-materials mixture or solution comprising the nanomaterials; and   wherein the nanomaterials comprise tetragonal barium titanate (IV) nanoparticles, titanium (IV) oxide nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the nano-materials mixture or solution comprises an alginic acid sodium (AG) salt solution. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein freezing the one or more mixtures within the tube using the freeze-casting process comprises providing the tube through a cold source such that the one or more mixtures provided into the tube freeze as heat is removed from the one or more mixtures via the cold source. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the cold source is a heat conductor ring in thermal connection to a low temperature circulation system. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 freeze drying the fiber in a freeze dryer after freezing the one or more mixtures within the tube using the freeze-casting process.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber has a cross-sectional shape selected from a group consisting of a circle, a triangle, a rhombus, a semicircle and a rectangle. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a first group of the plurality of spaces defined by the first plurality of walls formed by the MXene sheets is aligned along a predetermined direction; and   wherein a second group of the plurality of spaces defined by the second plurality of walls formed by the nanomaterials is not aligned along the predetermined direction.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the second group of the plurality of spaces defined by the second plurality of walls formed by the nanomaterials surrounds the first plurality of spaces defined by the first plurality of walls formed by the MXene sheets across a traverse cross-section of the fiber. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber is an acoustic energy harvester. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spaces has a dimension selected from a range from 10 micrometers to 80 micrometers. 
     
     
         15 . A fiber comprising:
 a tube;   a first plurality of walls formed by MXene sheets; and   a second plurality of walls formed by nanomaterials;   wherein the first plurality of walls and the second plurality of walls define a plurality of spaces within the tube.   
     
     
         16 . The fiber according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the tube comprises an inner layer of carbon-loaded polycarbonate (CPC); and   wherein the tube further comprises an outer layer of polycarbonate (PC) surrounding a circumferential surface of the inner layer.   
     
     
         17 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The fiber according to  claim 15 , wherein the nanomaterials comprise tetragonal barium titanate (IV) nanoparticles, titanium (IV) oxide nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The fiber according to  claim 15 , wherein the fiber has a cross-sectional shape selected from a group consisting of a circle, a triangle, a rhombus, a semicircle and a rectangle. 
     
     
         21 . The fiber according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein a first group of the plurality of spaces defined by the first plurality of walls formed by the MXene sheets is aligned along a predetermined direction; and   wherein a second group of the plurality of spaces defined by the second plurality of walls formed by the nanomaterials is not aligned along the predetermined direction.   
     
     
         22 . The fiber according to  claim 21 , wherein the second group of the plurality of spaces defined by the second plurality of walls formed by the nanomaterials surrounds the first plurality of spaces defined by the first plurality of walls formed by the MXene sheets across a traverse cross-section of the fiber. 
     
     
         23 - 24 . (canceled)