How do melt-spinning and solution-spinning produce man-made fibres?

To produce man-made fibres, polymers must first be converted into a liquid or semiliquid state by heating them until molten or dissolving them in a solvent. The resulting liquid is then extruded through a spinnerette, a device with small holes that forms fine jets of liquid that harden into solid filaments.1

Melt Spinning

Melt spinning is the most economical method because it requires no solvent recovery and operates at high speeds. In this process, a viscous polymer melt is extruded through a spinnerette into a spinning tower. The molten polymer is solidified by a blast of cold air, and the resulting fibres are collected. These fibres may be drawn in-line to increase their length or collected as continuous filaments or staple.2

Solution Spinning

Solution spinning involves dissolving a polymer in a solvent to create a viscous solution, which is then pumped through a spinnerette. There are two primary types:3
* Wet spinning: The spinnerette is placed in a coagulation bath where the solvent diffuses out and a nonsolvent diffuses into the extrudate.3
* Dry spinning: The solution is extruded into a heated tower where the solvent evaporates.3