Fiber spinning process using a weakly interacting polymer

1. A fiber spinning process comprising:

providing a polymer solution, which comprises at least one weakly interacting polymer having a dielectric constant less than about 3 dissolved in at least one weakly interacting solvent having a dielectric constant less than about 3, to a spinneret;

issuing the polymer solution in combination with a blowing gas in a direction away from at least one spinning nozzle in the spinneret and in the presence of an electric field;

forming fibers; and

collecting the fibers on a collector;

wherein the polymer solution has a conductivity of less than about 10 −12 S/m.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the weakly interacting polymer is a hydrocarbon polymer.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polydienes and polystyrene.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(1-butene), poly(4-methyl-1-pentene), and blends, mixtures and copolymers thereof.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the weakly interacting solvent is a hydrocarbon.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, decane, cyclohexane, benzene, toluene, xylene and decaline.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer solution is discharged through the spinning nozzle at a discharge rate between about 0.1 to about 100 ml/min/hole.

8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the polymer solution is discharged through the spinning nozzle at a discharge rate between about 1 to about 100 ml/min/hole.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the polymer solution is discharged through the spinning nozzle at a discharge rate between about 6 to about 100 ml/min/hole.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the polymer solution is discharged through the spinning nozzle at a discharge rate between about 10 to about 100 ml/min/hole.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the blowing gas is selected from the group of air, nitrogen, argon, helium, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, halocarbons, halohydrocarbons and mixtures thereof.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the blowing gas is injected at a flow velocity of about 50 to about 340 m/sec and a temperature from about ambient to about 300° C.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers have a number average fiber diameter less than about 1000 nanometers.

14. The process according to claim 13 , wherein the fibers have a number average fiber diameter less than about 800 nanometers.

15. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the fibers have a number average fiber diameter less than about 500 nanometers.

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers have a cross section shape that is essentially round.

17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the electric field has a voltage potential of about 10 kV to about 100 kV.

18. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical field is a corona charging field.

19. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising contacting the fibers with a secondary gas located downstream from the spinneret.

20. The process according to claim 19 , wherein the blowing gas is selected from the group of air, nitrogen, argon, helium, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, halocarbons, halohydrocarbons and mixtures thereof.

21. The process according to claim 19 , wherein the blowing gas is injected at a flow velocity of about 50 to about 340 m/sec and a temperature from about ambient to about 300° C.

22. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer solution comprises just one weakly interacting polymer having a dielectric constant less than about 3.

23. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers are deposited on a porous scrim material as they are being collected.