The rapid progress of machine builders, in the development of high-volume commercial production of nanofibres is creating a wealth of new opportunities for such materials.

The latest of which, Chromatographic separation with nanofibres, is itself the subject of a recent posting. Numerous examples of the other applications – including filtration, thermal materials, medical implants, contraception, pain relief, energy storage and generation, chemical protection and lighting – can also be found by searching our archive spanning more than ten years of reporting on technical textiles, smart materials and nanotechnology.

The article also considers one of the barriers to the use of nanofibres: the need for high-volume production techniques.

The signs are encouraging. There is a wealth of research and development aimed at addressing this issue and progress in the last ten years has been nothing short of spectacular; from the first imaginings of a commercial nanofibre to the existence today of several companies selling production machinery. Further progress, however, will open the doors to more opportunities, he argues, not just creating new profit-making opportunities, but also offering the potential to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems, such as the need to provide adequate amounts of clean drinking water for all.

This article comes from technical-textiles edir released