Spin City
Fiber technique fuels materials research
In 1934, Anton Formhals patented a spinning technology that produced synthetic fibers with the aid of an electric field. Introduced shortly before the advent of nylon, Formhals’ electrospinning technique never caught on. The method’s output couldn’t compete against the large-scale fiber-spinning methods that later made nylon and polyester into industrial commodities.
The basic premise behind commercial fiber manufacturing has remained largely the same for decades. Most methods force molten or chemically treated polymers through showerhead-resembling devices called spinnerets, following the same strategy as a child’s Play-Doh pasta maker. Advances in such extrusion technologies have shrunk the diameter of fibers in all manner of fabrics to micrometer and sub-micrometer ranges.