# US 12,000,058 B2 · Electrochemically produced materials, devices and methods for production > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,058 B2 - Document ID: US12000058B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/169,365 - Filed: 2023-02-15 - Published: 2023-06-29 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-20 - Assignees: Case Western Reserve University - Applicants: Case Western Reserve University - Inventors: Ozan Akkus; Mousa Younesi; Umit Levent Erol - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000058B2 ## CPC - C25D 1/04: Wires; Strips; Foils - D01D 5/00: Formation of filaments, threads, or the like - D01D 10/00: Physical treatment of artificial filaments or the like during manufacture, i.e. during a continuous production process before the filaments have been collected (finishing D02J) - D01F 4/00: Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of proteins; Manufacture thereof - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR - D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS ## Abstract A method for producing an electrocompacted and aligned strand is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a channel having an anode on one side and a cathode on the other side separated by a non-conductive material to form an electrode; dispensing a solution comprising one or more electrocompactable and alignable molecules, nanoparticles or microparticles with ampholytic nature into the channel to complete a circuit between the anode and the cathode; applying a DC current in the range of 1-200 volts to the electrode through the solution in the channel to form an electrocompacted and aligned strand; and transferring the aligned strand out of the electrode. The one or more electrocompactable and alignable molecules, nanoparticles or microparticles with ampholytic nature can comprise collagen molecules that have different charges at different pH values. Materials including electrochemically aligned and compacted compounds are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing an electrocompacted and aligned strand comprising the steps of: providing a channel having an anode on one side and a cathode on the other side separated by a non-conductive material to form an electrode; dispensing a solution comprising one or more electrocompactable and alignable molecules, nanoparticles or microparticles with ampholytic nature into the channel to complete a circuit between the anode and the cathode; applying a DC current in the range of 1-200 volts to the electrode through the solution in the channel to form the electrocompacted and aligned strand; and transferring the aligned strand out of the electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising a conductive layer that includes the anode and the cathode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the non-conductive material comprises a non-conductive layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the electrode has stacked layers comprising the conductive layer and the non-conductive layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the channel comprises a groove formed within the conductive layer to separate the anode from the cathode above the non-conductive layer, wherein the groove has a width between 0.05-10 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing step includes dispensing a solution from a reservoir system to a location on the channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the transferring step includes transferring the aligned strand out of a position of the electrode to a collection device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the collection device is located downstream from the reservoir system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein following the transferring step, the method further includes the step of dispensing additional solution to the position of the electrode where the aligned stand was transferred for continuously producing aligned strands. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the collection device includes an extraction spool, and wherein the transferring step comprises transferring the aligned strand with the extraction spool. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the transferring step includes determining an angle of separation of the aligned strand being removed from the electrode to maintain constant tension on the aligned strand. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the transferring step includes using the determined angle of separation for synchronizing the rotational speed of the extraction spool. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the transferring step includes directing the aligned strand with the extraction spool from the channel to a bath. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the bath contains a treatment solution selected from the group consisting of water, PBS, ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, chloroform, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electrocompactable and alignable molecules, nanoparticles or microparticles with ampholytic nature comprise collagen molecules. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising a conductive layer that includes the anode and the cathode, and wherein the non-conductive material comprises a non-conductive layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the channel comprises a groove formed within the conductive layer to separate the anode from the cathode above the non-conductive layer, wherein the groove has a width between 0.05-10 mm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the dispensing step includes dispensing the solution from a reservoir system to a location on the channel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the transferring step includes transferring the aligned strand out of a position of the electrode to a collection device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the transferring step includes determining an angle of separation of the aligned strand being removed from the electrode to maintain constant tension on the aligned strand.