Nanofiber – No Small Thing

needs no introduction. As an industry insider, you understand the power of nanofiber. The short answer to ‘Just what are the applications of nanofiber?’ is, well … ‘Tell me where it isn’t used.’

I am no scientist who can offer deeper analytics or data, but I can offer some backstory. I was surprised to read in Wikipedia that this miracle fiber has been in development for four centuries: “English physicist and astronomer William Gilbert (1544-1603) first documented the electrostatic attraction between liquids by preparing an experiment in which he observed a spherical water drop on a dry surface warp into a cone shape when it was held below an electrically charged amber.” His pursuit to understand the earth’s electricity and magnetism led him to experiment and discover nanofiber as a thing.

The explorers of science who followed pushed the boundaries of nanofiber, made possible by the discovery of electrospinning –attributed to American inventor John Francis Cooley (1861-1903) who filed the first modern electrospinning patent in 1900.

What drove these scientists to investigate the potential of nanofiber is likely what drives the industry today… curiosity. Pushing this fiber solution to the max is no small feat, as it is a key ingredient to the success of new technological advancements. So let us celebrate nanofiber with more curiosity.

A respected entity in nanotechnology, Donaldson’s Chrissy Klocker shares why nanofiber is the way to go if you want performance fibers, on page 22.

On page 24, International Correspondent Adrian Wilson speaks to Joshua Manasco, director of business and application development for Elmarco, who introduces us to the company’s new Infinity nanofiber technology.

Wilson then delves into nanofiber and electric vehicle filtration on page 30. He notes, “In the Audi e-tron vehicles on which it has been tested, the filter has proved effective at passively capturing even the smallest of particles by means of the movement of the vehicle as air flows through the filter system.”

A recently published paper by Carson W. Bechtel, a recent grad and environmental consultant, caught our eye. His study shows how adding living organisms to nanofiber will increase performance and promote sustainability. His article is on page 26.

Nanofiber will continue to evolve as technology expands. Curious minds will see to that, and in the meantime, this versatile fiber gets our admiration for longevity and growth!

Lastly, if you are heading to FILTECH, we will be there, too! We would love to meet you and hear your thoughts on hot topics and trends for 2023. Our booth is in HALL 7, Booth No. M53. See you in Cologne, Germany.

Caryn Smith

Chief Content Officer & Publisher, INDA Media, IFN

International Filtration News Editorial Advisory Board

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E.C. Gregor & Assoc. LLC

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MyCelx Technologies Corp.

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Rensa Filtration

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Lydall Performance Materials

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Blue Heaven Technologies

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Cartwright Consulting Co.

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The Dow Chemical Company

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Joseph Marketing

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Wenping Li, Ph.D.

Agriltech Research Company

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Ernest Mayer, Ph.D.

E. Mayer Filtration Consulting, LLC

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The McIlvaine Company

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TJ Ptak & Associates

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International Filtration News covers the topics and technologies that will shape the future of filtration and separation. Using subject matter experts from all parts of the industry, IFN is the leading source for the dialogues, debates and innovations across the full spectrum of filtration and separation applications and processes.

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AERFIL

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