Profiling the growing nanofibers applications market, allowing for new developments in batteries, electronics, medicine and filtration.
Nanofibers have unique characteristics and typically have diameters on the order of 50–200 nm, and have a large surface area per unit mass and small pore size. They represent a growing materials market, valued at anywhere between $100 millin and $3.4 billion at present.Main markets at present are in energy storage (battery separators and conductive additives), air and water filtration (membranes), technical textiles and medicine and life sciences (wound dressings, drug delivery and tissue engineering). New market applications are coming on stream in electronics (heat management). Other markets impacted are aerospace and aviation, aerospace, cosmetics and plastics. Leading players in the market include Ahlstrom, Dupont, Donaldson, Eden Energy, Hollingsworth & Vose, Johns Manville, Kuraray, Mitsubishi Rayon, Nanomirae, eSpin Technologies, Pyrograf Products, Showa Denko, Teijin and Toray. Innovative up and coming companies involved in both the production and application of nanofibers include Elmarco, ANF Development, Fiberio Technology Corporation, Finetex and Nanoval. Nafigate provides support to companies to help turn nanofibers into applications. New players in the market include NUENZ, Ltd., Xanofi and Revolution Fibers.
At the recent Nanofibers 2012 event a number of issues were flagged with regards to nanofibers commercialization. Companies highlighted that customers were sometimes reluctant to investing in nanofibers due to lack of clear applications in their industry; difficulties in optimizing materials and conditions; fears about market growth and nanofiber quality. Companies who have succeeded in nanofiber production and application development could offer mass production with quality based on key know how and IP and worked closely with customers to develop applications. Companies such as Showa Denko have been selling nanofibers to the battery market for over a decade.
Fish Skin Nanofibers
Revolution Fibers is electrospinning collagen harvested from discarded hoki fish skins to produce air filter mats for New Zealand ventilation company HRV. The biodegradable mats are created by diffusing the nanofibers onto a plate made from reformed potato starch.
Batteries
Showa Denko are one of a number of nanofibers producers selling nanofibers to battery companies as conductive additives for anode and cathode electrodes. The incorportion of nanofibers extends battery lifetime and improves performance.
Electronics
Nanofibers are used in electronics for their electrical conductivity properties. The electrical conductance of nanofibers is much high than that of copper, which makes them better choices as interconnect materials. Due to their extremely high aspect ratio (100~1000), they can be used to design ultra-scaled IC interconnects. They also have better thermal conducting capability, making them potentially useful as thermal interface materials.
Water filtration
Nitto Denko and Veolia Water supply nanofiber membranes for water desalinization systems. There are issues however of higher surface area requirements and providing low cost nanofibers for mass production. NASA has utlized Argonide’s NanoCeram PAC cartriges for water filtration in space.
Wound dressings
There are a number of companies producing nanofiber based wound dressings. Advantages of using nanofibers include inducing haemostasis, high filtration and liquid absorption, breathability and biodegradability. Companies include Xylos Corporation, HemCon Med. Tech, Inc., Covidien and Smith and Nephew.
Bone regeneration
Teijin is utilizing nanofibers in bone and cartilage regeneration. They are seeking to fill defective parts with a thread made of a medical agent and a biological absorption polymer for faster regeneration of the defective part. They are planning to begine preclinical trials in 2014.
Hydrogen storage
Cella Energy Limited has utilized electrospinning to develop a hydrogen storage matrix. It has been used to incorporate an ammonia borane core and polystyrene sheath in a nano matrix which is permeable to hydrogen and high temperature resistant.
Tissue repair
Xylos Corporation is producing biomaterial solutions for the treatment, repair and replacement of human tissue based on nanofibers. The company’s biomaterial is synthesized by an organism that produces nano-fibers. These nanofibers are finer than cellulose derived from cotton.
Air filtration
Nanofiber air filters have been on the market for a number of years. Main producers include Donaldson, Exceed, eSpin Technologies and Hollingsworth. Nanofiber based air filtration technology stop particles smaller than 3 µm and can adsorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs), microorganisms, allergens, and other pollutants (e.g., tobacco smoke).
