O-JAWS (Oscillating Jet Assisted Wet Spinning): A structured microfiber production methodology

Jet Assisted Wet Spinning (JAWS) is an emerging method that makes sub-100 micron fibers without the confinement and potential clogging issues of microfluidic channels. JAWS uses a fast water jet to stretch an adjacent jet of a monomer solution while both jets are submerged in a water bath. The monomer jet is bent, entrained, and thinned through the influence of the adjacent and significantly faster water jet. The ensuing dynamics allow for the production of fibers that are much thinner than the jet nozzles used. Oscillation of the fluid jets allows for making structured fibers as the monomer jet traverses across the velocity gradients of the entraining flow. We observe in our experiments that the oscillations of the two-jet setup transverse to the flow direction allow us to make structured fibers, including looped, crimped, and interweaving shapes. The morphologies of the obtained microfibers will be discussed.