Hierarchical organic-inorganic composites synthesized by electrospinning fibers within a non-conductive and a conductive pre-ceramic gel
AssigneeNorthwestern University
InventorsPing Guo, Ange-Therese Akono, Yunzhi Xu
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Abstract
Methods for the production of ceramic composites in which three-dimensional (3D) printed organic polymer fibers are embedded in an amorphous inorganic ceramic matrix are provided. The composites are made by electrospinning the organic polymer fibers and collecting them in a liquid or gel collector. Ceramic precursors added to the liquid collector after the fibers are collected, or present in the gel collector during the electrospinning, are then cured to form a solid ceramic matrix around the organic polymer fibers to produce an organic polymer fiber-reinforced ceramic.
Claims18
A method of making a fiber-reinforced ceramic, the method comprising:
- electrospinning a water-insoluble organic polymer fiber;
- collecting the electrospun water-insoluble organic polymer fiber in a collector, wherein the collector is a liquid or gel, to disperse the electrospun water-insoluble organic polymer fiber in the collector;
- adding inorganic ceramic precursors to the collector, wherein the inorganic ceramic precursors are added to the collector before, during, or after collecting the electrospun water-insoluble organic polymer fiber in the collector;
- adding an inorganic curing agent into the collector;
- and
- curing the inorganic ceramic precursors and the inorganic curing agent to form an organic polymer fiber-reinforced ceramic.
A method of making a fiber-reinforced ceramic, the method comprising:
- electrospinning a water-soluble organic polymer fiber;
- collecting the electrospun water-soluble organic polymer fiber in a gel collector comprising inorganic ceramic precursors to disperse the electrospun water-soluble organic polymer fiber in the gel collector, wherein the water-soluble organic polymer fiber is not a polyethylene oxide fiber;
- adding an inorganic curing agent into the gel collector;
- and
- curing the inorganic ceramic precursors and the inorganic curing agent to form an organic polymer fiber-reinforced ceramic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.