Method of making electrically conductive fibers

摘要

Electrically conductive conjugate fibers having a diameter less than 50 fm. The fibers include a thermoplastic sheath and a low-melting metal core, with the core occupying 0.2 to 50% of the sectional area of the fiber. The sectional area of the core varies by less than 25% in the longitudinal direction, and the total length of the discontinuous portions of the core is 5 cm or less per meter. The fibers can be produced with a conjugate spinning nozzle. The low-melting metal is provided to the nozzle from a closed fusion tank located at a position below the spinning nozzle. The metal is supplied to the spinning nozzle by means of pressure from inert gas, which is supplied to an upper space of the fusion tank. The level of metal in the fusion tank is maintained substantially constant, and the pressure of the gas is controlled so as to maintain a pressure variation of 0.1 kg/cm2 or less.