Developing a Fiber Spinning Process for Ultra-High-Strength PVA/SWNT Composites

In this research the interfacial relationship between a high molecular weight polymer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer and single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are studied in order to push the boundaries for spinning a high-strength fiber. Previous research has shown success in such studies relating to the interactions between PVA and SWCNT. However, theses fibers were processed in small batches. These PVA/SWCNT systems showed an increased performance in mechanical properties of the spun and drawn fibers when compared to control samples. These increased properties show promising advantages in applications requiring high-strength fiber materials such as ballistics or protection equipment. The scope of this project was to expand upon this initial success and explore a more continuous processing route to process ultra-high-strength (>3 GPa) PVA/SWCNT composite fibers. With the primary goal of achieving the most optimized system for development of this fibers, the process is tailored and controlled to produce fine-tuned high-performance fibers. The results of this work will be discussed.