gel spinning

Gel spinning (also called semi-melt spinning) is a special technology for producing fibers from polymers that uses an intermediate "gel" state to create fibers with extremely high strength and elastic modulus. : The polymer is dissolved in a solvent, forming a viscous solution or gel mass. Preparation: The solution or gel is extruded through a nozzle (spinneret), where the polymer is not completely liquid, but in a gel state. The extruded fiber is cooled (often in a liquid bath), which causes physical gelation and stabilization of the fiber. The solvent is removed by extraction or drying. The fibers are stretched, which aligns the polymer chains and increases their orientation and crystallinity, resulting in extremely high strength and modulus.