Rapid production of ultralong amorphous ceramic nanofibers by laser spinning

摘要

Amorphous nanofibers of several centimeters in length can be grown in microseconds during laser cutting of ceramics if a supersonic gas jet is used to clear the cut edge. Such rapid growth is not achievable with vapor phase or solution based methods. Instead, the growth mechanism involves elongation of very small volumes of molten ceramic by frictional drag action of the gas jet. Analysis of the elongation process shows that rapid elongation and cooling are essential to prevent surface tension causing spheroid formation. Using a modified geometry, the process can be adapted to produce near-continuous nanofibers with tailored compositions.