Provided herein are nanofibers and processes of preparing nanofibers. In some instances, the nanofibers are metal and/or ceramic nanofibers. In some embodiments, the nanofibers are high quality, high performance nanofibers, highly coherent nanofibers, highly continuous nanofibers, or the like. In some embodiments, the nanofibers have increased coherence, increased length, few voids and/or defects, and/or other advantageous characteristics. In some instances, the nanofibers are produced by electrospinning a fluid stock having a high loading of nanofiber precursor in the fluid stock. In some instances, the fluid stock comprises well mixed and/or uniformly distributed precursor in the fluid stock. In some instances, the fluid stock is converted into a nanofiber comprising few voids, few defects, long or tunable length, and the like.

A method of producing fibers includes exposing an inorganic composition to a plasma plume, where the plasma plume has a temperature of at least 1500° C. and a bulk velocity of at least 350 m/s. A system for producing fibers includes a plasma torch to produce the plasma plume and a feeding device to introduce the inorganic composition to the plasma plume.

Apparatus and methods for forming melt-formed fibres and melt-formed biosoluble fibers are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a spinning head comprising one or more rotors; a plurality of nozzles or slots disposed around at least part of the one or more rotors; a conveyor; and a barrier between the spinning head and the conveyor.

An inorganic fiber containing a fiberization product of a compound comprising at least one alkaline earth silicate, at least one compound containing an element from group VII and/or IX of the periodic table, and optionally alumina and/or boria. The inclusion of a suitable amount of at least one compound containing an element from group VII and/or IX of the periodic table of elements to an alkaline-earth silicate inorganic fiber reduces fiber shrinkage, decreases biopersistence in physiological solutions, and enhances mechanical strength beyond that of alkaline earth silicate fibers without the presence of the at least one compound containing an element from group VII and/or IX. Also provided are methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from the inorganic fibers.

Methods for fabricating high-temperature composite structures (e.g., structures comprising carbon-carbon composite materials or ceramic composite matrix (CMC) materials and configured for use at temperature at or exceeding about 2000 F. (1093 C.)) include forming precursor structures by additive manufacturing (AM) (e.g., 3D printing). The precursor structures are exposed to high temperatures to pyrolyze a precursor matric material of the initial 3D printed structure. A liquid resin is used to impregnate the pyrolyzed structure, to densify the structure into a near-net final shape. Use of expensive and time-consuming molds and post-processing machining may be avoided. Large, unitary, integrally formed parts conducive for use in high-temperature environments may be formed using the methods of the disclosure.

Disclosed are an inorganic nanofiber characterized in that the average fiber diameter is 2 m or less, the average fiber length is 200 m or less, and the CV value of the fiber length is 0.7 or less; and a method of manufacturing the same. In the manufacturing method, an inorganic nanofiber sheet consisting of inorganic nanofibers having an average fiber diameter of 2 m or less is formed by electrospinning, and then, the inorganic nanofiber sheet is pressed using a press machine and crushed so that the average fiber length becomes 200 m or less, and the CV value of the fiber length becomes 0.7 or less.

A complex ceramic particle and ceramic composite material may be made of a pretreated coal dust and a polymer derived ceramic that is mixed together and pyrolyzed in a nonoxidizing atmosphere. Constituent portions of the particle mixture chemically react causing particles to increase in density and reduce in size during pyrolyzation, yielding a particle suitable for a plurality of uses including composite articles and proppants.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing inverse opal photonic crystal fibers. In this method, by means of vertical deposition of colloidal spheres (micron scale or nanoscale), of polystyrene shell-core structured spheres and silica particles, the inverse opal colloidal crystal fiber stripes having a length of about 3.5 cm as well as an adjustable width and thickness is obtained. The invention provides a convenient method and achieves inverse opal photonic crystal fiber stripes with a high yield and a controllable size, and there is no crack on the surface of the fibers or inside the fibers. Furthermore, the inverse opal photonic crystal stripes of the invention can be peeled off from the surface of a glass slide and used conveniently.

Embodiments of the invention include silica fiber compositions useful for treatment of animal wounds and tissue, as well as for other applications in industry. The fiber compositions may be formed via electrospinning of a sol gel produced with a silicon alkoxide reagent, such as tetraethyl ortho silicate, alcohol solvent, and an acid catalyst.

Embodiments of the invention include nerve-repair conduits incorporating mats, sheets, and/or powders of silica fibers and methods for producing such conduits. The silica fibers may be formed via electrospinning of a sol gel produced with a silicon alkoxide reagent, such as tetraethyl ortho silicate, alcohol solvent, and an acid catalyst.