Abstract: An improved electroblowing process is provided for forming a fibrous web of nanofibers wherein polymer stream is issued from a spinning nozzle in a spinneret with the aid of a forwarding gas stream, passes an electrode and a resulting nanofiber web is collected on a collector. The process includes applying a high voltage to the spinneret and grounding the electrode such that an electric field is generated between the spinneret and the electrode of sufficient strength to impart an electrical charge on the polymer as it issues from the spinning nozzle.

Abstract: A flash-spun material comprised of at least 20% partially fluorinated hydrocarbon polymers in which between 10% and 70% of the total number of hydrogen atoms in each hydrocarbon polymer are replaced by fluorine atoms. The partially fluorinated hydrocarbon polymers is preferably comprised of at least 80% by weight of polymerized monomer units selected from ethylene, tetrafluoroethylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride and vinyl fluoride. The flash-spun material may be a plexifilamentary strand or a microcellular foam. Also provided is a process for producing flash-spun material from partially fluorinated hydrocarbon polymers in a solvent and a solution from which such polymers may be flash-spun.