# US 2024/0200237 A1 · Electrically-conducting polymer yarn and method of making same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0200237 A1 - Document ID: US20240200237A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/540,795 - Filed: 2023-12-14 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-19 - Assignees: University of Kentucky Research Foundation - Applicants: University of Kentucky Research Foundation - Inventors: Ruben Sarabia-Riquelme; Matthew C. Weisenberger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240200237A1 ## CPC - D02G 3/441: {Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties (electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042)} - D01D 5/06: Wet spinning methods {(D01D5/0046 takes precedence)} - D02G 3/045: {all components being made from artificial or synthetic material} - D02G 3/26: with characteristics dependent on the amount or direction of twist - D10B 2321/12: polymers of cyclic compounds with one carbon-to-carbon double bond in the side chain - D10B 2401/16: antistatic; conductive - D02G: CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS - D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS - D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES ## Abstract A method for making electrically-conductive yarn includes simultaneously drawing and axially twisting a starting material selected from a group consisting of intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber nonwovens and multifilament tows of intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber. The resulting yarn is a compacted, intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber material having an axial twist of between about 0.5 and about 60 degrees. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for making electrically-conductive yarn, comprising: simultaneously drawing and axially twisting a starting material selected from a group consisting of intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber nonwovens and multifilament tows of intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including wetting the starting material with a compacting solvent prior to the twisting. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including wetting the starting material with a compacting solvent during the twisting. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including wetting the starting material with a compacting solvent prior to and during the twisting. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including adjusting a draw speed and a twist speed to provide a desired yarn twist angle of between about 0.5 and about 60 degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further including selecting the starting material from a group of polymer fiber materials consisting of a polyacetylene, a polythiophene, a polypyrrole, a polyaniline, a polyphenylene, and complexed derivatives and blends thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further including selecting the compacting solvent from a group of solvents consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, toluene, hexane, xylene, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacetamide and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including adjusting a draw speed and a twist speed to provide a desired yarn twist angle of between about 30 and about 45 degrees. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further including selecting the starting material from a group of polymer fiber materials consisting of a polyacetylene, a polythiophene, a polypyrrole, a polyaniline, a polyphenylene, and complexed derivatives and blends thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further including selecting the compacting solvent from a group of solvents consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, toluene, hexane, xylene, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacetamide and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further including selecting the compacting solvent from a group of solvents consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, toluene, hexane, xylene, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacetamide and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 12 An electrically-conductive yarn, comprising: a compacted, intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber material having an axial twist of between about 0.5 and about 60 degrees. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrically-conducting yarn of claim 12, wherein the axial twist is between about 30 and about 45 degrees. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The electrically-conducting yarn of claim 12, made from a polymer fiber material selected from a group consisting of a polyacetylene, a polythiophene, a polypyrrole, a polyaniline, a polyphenylene, and complexed derivatives and blends thereof. ### Claim 15 A method for making electrically-conductive yarn, comprising: extruding a dispersion of poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) polymer in a polar solvent through a spinneret into a coagulation bath of non-solvent to the PEDOT:PSS to produce PEDOT:PSS fibers; allowing the PEDOT:PSS fibers to accumulate in the coagulation bath where the PEDOT:PSS fibers entangle forming a mesh; removing the mesh from the coagulation bath and placing it in a wash bath of a solvent having a relative polarity of less than 0.15; removing the mesh from the wash bath and allowing the mesh to dry; and simultaneously drawing and axially twisting the mesh to make the electrically-conductive yarn. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, using a moving belt immersed in the coagulation bath to transfer the PEDOT:PSS fibers to the wash bath. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further including using the moving belt immersed in the wash bath to transfer the mesh from the wash bath for drying. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further including wetting the mesh with a compacting solvent prior to and during the twisting. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further including adjusting a draw speed and a twist speed to provide a desired yarn twist angle of between about 0.5 and about 60 degrees. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further including adjusting a draw speed and a twist speed to provide a desired yarn twist angle of between about 30 and about 45 degrees.