METHODS OF MAKING NANOFIBER YARNS AND THREADS
There is disclosed a method of making a material comprising an assembly of at least one spun yarn, comprising: synthetic inorganic fibers, such as carbon, metal, oxides, carbides or alloys or combinations thereof, wherein a majority of the fibers: (a) are longer than 300 (b) have a diameter ranging from 0.25 nm and 700 nm, and (c) are substantially crystalline, wherein the yarn has substantial flexibility and uniformity in diameter. In one embodiment, the method comprises spinning yarn by pulling fibers from a bulk material with at least one spinner that has real time feedback controls.
1 . A method for the fabrication of material comprising an assembly of at least one spun yarn, said method comprising forming a yarn by spinning synthetic inorganic fibers from a bulk material, wherein said spinning is under feedback control based on a feedback signal,
wherein said spindle containing the nano-fibers is spinning relative to a take-up spindle at a relative angular velocity ranging from 30 rpm to 500,000 rpm, wherein the said angular velocity is in the axial direction of the as spun yarn, wherein the said nano-fibers are substantially aligned prior to spinning,
wherein a majority of said fibers: (a) are longer than 300 μm, (b) have a diameter ranging from 0.25 nm and 700 nm, and (c) are substantially crystalline, to produce a yarn that has substantial flexibility and uniformity in diameter.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching at least one molecular component to the synthetic inorganic fibers chosen from but not limited to metallic clusters, nano-fibers, carbon nanotubes, metallic coatings, organic functional groups, proteins, peptides, graphene, DNA, polymers and any combination thereof.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said adding is accomplished by exposing the fibers to physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, solution phase adsorption, supercritical CO 2 , plasma deposition, ion implantation, or any combination thereof.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the said uniformity in diameter is accomplished through feedback control of the spinning parameters comprising but not limited to spindle speed, yarn take-up speed, applied capacitive forces, applied magnetic forces, atmospheric conditions, concentration of spinning agent, sliver thickness, sliver alignment, sliver density, spindle fiber federate, roving, dispersion, carding, or any combination thereof, wherein a feedback signal is comprised of automated measurements comprising but not limited to conductivity, resistance, capacitance, inductance, optical, tension, vibrational frequencies, gamma-ray backscatter, x-ray backscatter or any combination thereof.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the additives are applied to the fiber with feedback control of the application parameters comprising but not limited to voltage, temperature, pressure, concentration, composition, frequency, current, or any combination thereof, wherein a feedback signal is comprised of automated measurements comprising but not limited to chemical affinity, conductivity, resistance, capacitance, inductance, optical, tension, vibrational frequencies, gamma-ray backscatter, x-ray backscatter or any combination thereof.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising cabling at least one said yarn with at least another said yarn, wherein the said cabling is accomplished with spooling and spin tightening the said at least one yarn, contacting the said spun tightened yarn with a tension controller, contacting the said spun tightened yarn with another spun tightened yarn, and take-up of the said cabled multiply yarn.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying at least one sizing agent to said yarn, wherein said sizing agents is chosen from poly-aromatic-hydrocarbons, nanoscale graphene structures, starches, polyvinyl alcohols carboxymethylcellulose, acrylates, waxes, dioctyl phthalate, surfactants, alcohols, oils or any combination thereof.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said fiber is comprised of carbon, metal, oxides, carbides or alloys or combinations thereof.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said yarn is comprised of more than one species of fibers that are substantially hollow, substantially solid, filled with a secondary material, or any combination thereof.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said fiber is chosen from meta-materials, magnetic materials, semi-conducting materials, conductive materials, doped materials, super-conductive materials, adsorptive materials, insulation materials, or any combination thereof.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising infiltrating said yarn with a polymer.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a thread, rope, woven two dimensional fabric, woven three dimensional article, a three dimensional printed article or any combination thereof.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the yarn comprises a long axis, and the fibers within the spun yarn are substantially aligned and twisted about said long axis.
14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising twisting together two or more spun yarns to form a twisted pair.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said twisted pair is twisted while under a tension resulting in a pressure between the twisted pair ranging from 1 mPa and 30 TPa.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said tension is translated into an internal pressure with force vectors pointed inward to the global axis of the twisted pair to enhance the integrity of the said twisted pair.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the said twisted pair is twisted together with at least one other said twisted pair to form a cable.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the cable has a strength of ranging from 10 kPa to 300 GPa.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said yarn is sufficiently conductive at frequency between 1×10 −6 Hz and 3×10 19 Hz.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the yarn has a diameter between 10 nm and 5 mm.