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initial formation. Subsequent steps are then employed
to remove as much solvent from the fibers as possible
and draw the fiber to develop improved fiber physical
properties.
The process for fiber manufacture has been physi-
cally separated or decoupled into two isolated steps,
the first for spinning the fiber, operating at a high rate
or speed. Then a subsequent slow rate or speed wash-
ing and drawing process is done. This process runs
rather slow. Therefore a method for the rapid removal
of the solvent from the fiber after spinning has been
proposed.
A continuous dry spinning process has been devel-
oped where a solution of polymer, water, and salt is
extruded into a gaseous medium [30]. The gaseous
medium removes at least 25% weight percent