THERMAL FIBER DRAWING (TFD) WITH ADDED CORE BREAK-UP PROCESS AND PARTICLES THEREFROM

摘要

A thermal fiber drawing (TFD)-based method for forming particles includes providing a multi-material fiber having at least one core including a first material and an outer first cladding layer including a second material different from the first material outside the core. TFD is used to increase a length of the multi-material fiber to form an extended multi-material fiber having an extended core such that the core diameter or other core cross sectional dimension approaches the desired particle size after subsequent break-up. The extended multi-material fiber is thermally treated under conditions that cause a breaking up of the extended core to form a plurality of core particles embedded in the cladding layer. The core particles can optionally be removed from the cladding layer.