Abstract
Polymer fibers of high molecular weight polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly ( d, l-lactic acid) (PLA) were produced using only electrostatic forces and without the use of a liquid solvent. The fibers were formed between two electrodes in a high-pressure view cell. A polymer sample was placed on a grounded electrode and a second, counter electrode was placed at high potential. The polymer was observed as the thermodynamic conditions (e.g. temperature, CO 2 pressure) and potential difference were varied. At a CO 2 temperature and pressure above the critical point, but well below the single-phase region, polymer fibers formed between the grounded electrode and the high voltage counter electrode. It is surmised that the supercritical CO 2 reduces the polymer viscosity sufficiently to allow fibers to be electrostatically pulled from an un-dissolved bulk polymer sample.
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