# US 2008/0187996 A1 · Nanofibers, nanofilms and methods of making/using thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0187996 A1 - Document ID: US20080187996A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/899,589 - Filed: 2007-09-06 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2006-09-06 - Inventors: Adra S. Baca; Marie D. Bryhan; Frederick E. Noll; Odessa N. Petzold; Michael W. Price; Wageesha Senaratne; Wanda J. Walczak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187996A1 ## CPC - D01D 5/003: {the material being a polymer solution or dispersion (D01D5/0053 takes precedence)} - A61L 27/06: Titanium or titanium alloys - A61L 27/16: obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds - B82Y 5/00: Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery - C12N 5/0075: {using microcarriers} - D01F 1/10: Other agents for modifying properties - D01F 6/14: from polymers of unsaturated alcohols, e.g. polyvinyl alcohol, or of their acetals or ketals - D01F 6/22: from polystyrene - A61L 2400/12: Nanosized materials, e.g. nanofibres, nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes; Nanostructured surfaces - C12N 2533/30: Synthetic polymers - D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS ## Abstract Described herein are compositions for making nanofibers and nanofilms composed of metal oxides, organic polymers, or combinations thereof. Also described herein are methods for making nanofibers and nanofilms where the fibers are formed from a solution having more than one solvent, where the solvents are immiscible. Nanofibers and nanofilms composed of metal oxides, organic polymers or combinations thereof are described. Finally, methods for using the nanofibers and nanofilms are described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composition for making a nanofiber comprising: (a) a metal oxide, a metal oxide precursor, or a combination of metal oxide and metal oxide precursor and (b) a first solvent and second solvent, wherein the metal oxide, metal oxide precursor or combination of metal oxide and metal oxide precursor is soluble in the first solvent, the second solvent, or both the first and second solvent and wherein the first solvent and second solvent are immiscible. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein component (a) is a metal oxide and wherein the metal oxide comprises niobium oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, zirconium oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium pentoxide, nickel oxide, iron oxide, lead oxide, germanium oxide, manganese oxide, cobalt oxide, tin oxide, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein component (a) is a metal oxide precursor and wherein the metal oxide precursor comprises a metal salt, a metal alkoxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal ester, a metal nitride, a metal carbide, a metal halide, a metal sulfide, a metal selenide, a metal phosphate, a metal sulfate, a metal carbonate, a metal nitrate, a metal nitrite, a silsesquioxane, a silicone, silica, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a polymer, one or more polymer precursor, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The composition of claim 4, wherein the polymer comprises polystyrene, a polyacrylate, a polyethylene, a polyimide, a polyether, a polysulfone, a polystyrenesulfonic acid, a polyethyleneimine, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinylformal, a polyoxazaline, a polyvinylpyridine, a protein, an oligonucleotide, a polysaccharide, a polyamide, a polyvinylalkylether, a cycloolefinic copolymer, a polymethylmethacrylate, a polyester, a polymethacrylate, a phenolic compound, an epoxy compound, a urethane, a styrenic polymer, maleic anhydrides, a polypropylene oxides, a polyethylene oxide, a polyolefin, a polycarbonate, a fluoropolymer, a peptides, a cellulosic polymer, a hydrogel, polylysine, a polylactic acid, polylactide-co-glycolide, an alginate, a polycaprolactone, a polyorganosilsesquioxane, an acrylamide, a polysulfonate, a polyketone, a polyacrylonitrile, a polymethylpentene, a block co-polymer, a polyvinylpyrrolidine, a protein, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The composition of claim 4, wherein the composition comprises a polymer and a metal oxide precursor, and wherein the polymer comprises polystyrene and the metal oxide precursor comprises a titanium compound, a niobium compound, or a tantalum compound. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The composition of claim 4, wherein metal oxide, metal oxide precursor or combination of metal oxide and metal oxide precursor is soluble in the first solvent and the polymer is soluble in the second solvent, and the first solvent has a boiling point greater than the second solvent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The composition of claim 4, wherein the metal oxide, metal oxide precursor or combination of metal oxide and metal oxide precursor are soluble in the first solvent and the polymer is soluble in the second solvent, and the first solvent has a boiling point less than the second solvent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the first and second solvents have a difference in boiling points of at least 10° C., measured at atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the first and second solvents have a difference in vapor pressures of at least 10 mm Hg at 20° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the first and second solvent are selected from the group consisting of acetone, acetonitrile, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, cyclohexane, 1,2-dichloroethane, dichloromethane, diethyl ether, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, 1,4-dioxane, ethanol, ethyl acetate, heptane, hexane, methanol, methyl-tert-butyl ether, pentane, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, tetrahydrofuran, toluene, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, water, ethanol, benzene, butanol, methyl ethyl ketone, N-methyl pyrrolidine, dimethylacetamide, formic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, and a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a catalyst, bioactive agent, a metallic or organic conductive material, a magnetic material, a piezoelectric material, a ferroelectric material, a dielectric material, a radioactive material, a phosphorescent material, a dye, a surfactant, or a rare earth metal. ### Claim 13 A fiber-forming composition comprising: (a) a metal oxide, a metal oxide precursor or a combination of a metal oxide and a metal oxide precursor; (b) a polymer or a polymer precursor; and (c) a first solvent and second solvent, wherein the metal oxide, metal oxide precursor, combination of metal oxide and metal oxide precursor, polymer or polymer precursor are soluble in the first solvent, the second solvent, or both the first and second solvent, and the first solvent and second solvent are immiscible. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The composition of claim 13, wherein the component of (a) comprises a metal oxide and wherein the metal oxide comprises niobium oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, zirconium oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium pentoxide, a nickel oxide, an iron oxide, a lead oxide, a germanium oxide, a manganese oxide, a cobalt oxide, a tin oxide, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The composition of claim 13, wherein the component of (a) comprises a metal oxide precursor comprising a metal salt, a metal alkoxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal ester, a metal nitride, a metal carbide, a metal halide, a metal sulfide, a metal selenide, a metal phosphate, a metal sulfate, a metal carbonate, a metal nitrate, a metal nitrite, a silsesquioxane, a silicone, silica, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The composition of claim 13, wherein the component of (a) is a metal oxide precursor and wherein the metal oxide precursor comprises a niobium compound, a tantalum compound, a titanium compound, an aluminum compound, a silicon compound, a cerium compound, a calcium compound, a cadmium compound, an erbium compound, a selenium compound, a tellurium compound, a gallium compound, an arsenic compound, a germanium compound, a zinc compound, a tin compound, an indium compound, a ruthenium compound, a rhenium compound, a nickel compound, a tungsten compound, a molybdenum compound, a magnesium compound, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the metal oxide precursor, the polymer, the polymer precursor, or any combination thereof produces one or more co-solvents in situ. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the polymer comprises polystyrene, a polyacrylate, a polyethylene, a polyimide, a polyether, a polysulfone, a polystyrenesulfonic acid, a polyethyleneimine, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinylformal, a polyoxazaline, a polyvinylpyridine, a protein, an oligonucleotide, a polysaccharide, a polyamide, a polyvinylalkylether, a cycloolefinic copolymer, a polymethylmethacrylate, a polyester, a polymethacrylate, a phenolic compound, an epoxy compound, a urethane, a styrenic polymer, maleic anhydrides, a polypropylene oxides, a polyethylene oxide, a polyolefin, a polycarbonate, a fluoropolymer, a peptides, a cellulosic polymer, a hydrogel, polylysine, a polylactic acid, polylactide-co-glycolide, an alginate, a polycaprolactone, a polyorganosilsesquioxane, an acrylamide, a polysulfonate, a polyketone, a polyacrylonitrile, a polymethylpentene, a block co-polymer, a polyvinylpyrrolidine, a protein, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the composition comprises a polymer and metal oxide precursor, wherein the polymer comprises polystyrene and the metal oxide precursor comprises a titanium compound, a niobium compound, or a tantalum compound. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the metal oxide precursor is soluble in the first solvent and the polymer is soluble in the second solvent, and the first solvent has a boiling point greater than the second solvent. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the metal oxide precursor is soluble in the first solvent and the polymer is soluble in the second solvent, and the first solvent has a boiling point less than the second solvent. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the first and second solvents have a difference in boiling points of at least 10° C. measured at atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the first and second solvents have a difference in vapor pressures of at least 10 mm Hg at 20° C. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the first and second solvent are selected from the group consisting of acetone, acetonitrile, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, cyclohexane, 1,2-dichloroethane, dichloromethane, diethyl ether, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, 1,4-dioxane, ethanol, ethyl acetate, heptane, hexane, methanol, methyl-tert-butyl ether, pentane, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, tetrahydrofuran, toluene, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, water, ethanol, benzene, butanol, methyl ethyl ketone, N-methyl pyrrolidine, dimethylacetamide, formic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, and a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the composition further comprises a catalyst, bioactive agent, a metallic or organic conductive material, a magnetic material, a piezoelectric material, a ferroelectric material, a dielectric material, a radioactive material, a phosphorescent material, a dye, a surfactant or a rare earth metal.