Scalable Process for the Spinning of PDV-CArbon Nanotube composite Fibers

We report a water-based spinning process to produce polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-carbon nanotube composite fibers that contain a large fraction of nanotubes. The process differs from previous methods to achieve related materials because the spinning solution is injected in a static coagulation bath instead of being circulated in conflowing streams. The resultant wet spinning process in reminiscent of processes industrially developed for neat PVA fibers. Considering its robustness, the process in therefore expected to be easily scalable for greater production. The present method is based on the stabilization of nanotubes by appropriate surfactant molecules that allow the nanotubes to remain homogeneously dispersed in aqueous solutions of PVA. The obtained fibers are homogeneous, uniform in diameter, can be spun indefinitely. They are electrically conducting textile applications. The present process being based on the colloidal stability of the particles in PVA solutions, it is believed that it could be extended to several other types of composite PVA fibers provided that the particles are stabilized by similar surfactants