Method of producing a swellable polymer fibre
A swellable polymer based fiber and a method of preparing the same optionally comprising glycol, lecithin and optionally an antimicrobial metal species suitable, for example, for medical applications including wound dressings. A method of manufacture may comprise fiber extrusion or spinning involving one or a plurality of in-series coagulation baths to add single or multiple antimicrobial metal species to the as-formed fiber.
1. A method of forming a swellable polymer based fibre comprising:
creating an aqueous dope solution containing a water soluble polymer;
spinning or extruding the dope solution into a coagulation bath to form an extruded fibre;
drawing the fibre from the coagulation bath;
adding a glycol to the dope solution, the glycol having between two to fifteen carbon atoms; and
adding a lecithin to the dope solution.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adding a metal based antimicrobial agent to the dope solution.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises silver, a silver ion or a silver substrate.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adding a metal based antimicrobial agent to the coagulation bath.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the antimicrobial agent is a metal ion selected from any one or a combination of the following set of:
Zn, Cu, Ti, Pt, Pd, Bi, Sn, Sb.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises any one or a combination of a polysaccharide or a hydrocolloid forming polymer and optionally pectin, alginate, psyllium , carboxymethylcellulose, konjac, aloe vera and/or chitosan.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the glycol comprises between two to fifteen carbon atoms.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the glycol is added at a concentration of 0.05 to 10% by weight of the dope solution.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adding any one or a combination of the following to the dope solution:
psyllium
carboxymethylcellulose
high mannuronate content alginate
high guluronate content alginate.
10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lecithin is added at a concentration of 0.05 to 10% by weight of the dope solution.