Fiber formation mechanisms of jet-assisted wet spinning (JAWS).

This article focuses on the development and systematic investigation of jet-assisted wet spinning (JAWS), a fiber spinning method using miscible liquids to overcome surface tension limitations in photopolymer fiber production. JAWS employs a high-speed submerged liquid jet to stretch a slower-flowing, photopolymerizable pre-fiber jet, enabling the formation of thinner fibers without capillary instabilities and avoiding microfluidic channel clogging by solidifying fibers in a liquid bath. The study demonstrates that the pre-fiber jet diameter depends on flow rates, nozzle positioning, and buoyancy effects, with experimental results aligning closely with predictions from the Landau–Squire jet flow model. Additionally, the method's axisymmetric design allows for parallel spinning of multiple fibers, enhancing throughput, and it is adaptable to various photopolymer materials.