Demand for nanofibers in the nonwovens industry continues to grow. According to Allied Market Research, the global demand for nonwoven nanofibers in 2020 was more than 2500 kilotons. Looking ahead, the global demand for nonwoven nanofibers in 2030 is expected to be slightly more than 10,000 kilotons, growing with a lower double-digit CAGR throughout the forecast period.

Initially, fibers having diameter range less than 100 nanometer were considered as nanofibers, although in recent times the scope has been broadened with all fibers having a diameter range less than 500 nanometer are considered as nanofibers, according to Prakhar Jain, analyst, Allied Market Research. Additionally, the diameters of nanofibers depend on the type of polymer used and the method of production, he says.

“Nanofibers are unique for their large surface area-to-volume ratio, high porosity, appreciable mechanical strength, and flexibility in functionalization as compared to their microfiber counterparts. They also have higher initial and ongoing efficiencies when compared to conventional fibers,” Jain says. “When clean, a network of nanofiber is able to capture dust and other harmful particles much better than clean filters that do not have a fine fiber layer. They are able to achieve these high levels of filtration using filtration methods such as interception, diffusion, and impaction.”

Although nanotechnology in nonwovens has been limited to filtration and other high tech applications, prominence of the materials continues to grow thanks to several pioneers in the category.

Berry Global

Everist nanofiber filtration media, from Berry Global, is designed for HEPA and MERV applications requiring the highest in filtration efficiency. It features a nano-fiber coating technology for high performance composites, high filtration efficiency with minimal media flow reduction, efficient filtration for an extended filter life and highly pleatable support media solutions with unrivaled performance. It is ideal for air filtration, sub micron filtration and high efficiency filtration.

Hifyber Focuses on High Efficiency Applications

Hifyber, an Abalioglu Holding company that offers high efficiency filtration applications with nanofiber coated antibacterial-antiviral filter fabric for HVAC systems, stresses filtration efficiency of air filters used in HVAC systems.

Indoor air quality is among the factors having a negative impact on quality of life in collective living spaces. Particularly in spaces shared by a large number of people simultaneously such as offices, businesses and industrial facilities, indoor air quality has a direct impact on both people’s health and employee performance.

The Covid-19 pandemic has once again revealed the importance of air quality in indoor spaces. As companies which had adopted a work from home model since the first months of 2020 began to gradually return to offices thanks to ever higher rates of vaccination, the issue of the correct use of air filters became a talking point once again.

Air filters offer an effective solution to eliminate microorganisms, dust and allergens contained in indoor air of buildings and industrial facilities and create safe living spaces for building occupants. Air filters used in HVAC systems provide the first line of defense against pollutants such as bacteria and viruses in the environment.

The ASHRAE 52.2 standard: Experts draw attention to filtration efficiency of air filters used in HVAC systems. Filtration efficiency measures the extent to which filters eliminate particles from the air. The Ashrae 52.2 standard is among the most widely recognized standards used to assess filtration efficiency. However, one needs to also comprehend some basic information regarding the type of media used in filters to better understand the operational performance of the filter.

The ASHRAE 52.2 standard Appendix J: Air filters are grouped under two main headings, mechanical and electrostatic filtration, with their efficiency being assessed separately. This is because while mechanical filtration offers constant filtration efficiency, electrostatic filtration provides high filtration efficiency during initial tests but filtration efficiency in the latter is reduced in the course of active operation. Therefore choosing filter solutions that conform to the ASHRAE 52.2 Appendix J standard is of vital importance.

Longer Economic Life of Filters Through Nanofiber Filter Media
Nanofiber filters for mechanical filtration provide high performance both in the beginning and in the course of filter operation. The nanofiber coated antibacterial-antiviral filter fabric employed in the “Nanofiber Filter Media” developed by Hifyber ensures healthy air conditioning in HVAC systems. Nanofibers improve filter efficiency without any significant increase in filter pressure drop, ensuring extended filter economic life and cleaner air input.

Inovenso

After focusing on improving nanofiber quality during the electrospinning process, Inovenso has aimed to develop efficient electrospinning machines and accelerate the science of nanofibers. Inovenso has become a bridge company between academia and industry. It has contributed hundreds of scientific projects using polymer nanofibers for a wide range of applications such as biomedical, tissue engineering, pharmaceuticals, energy, filtration, materials sciences, textiles, agriculture, cosmetics and others.

Inovenso has introduced innovative approaches to overcome common obstacles such as scalability, flexibility, standardization and repeatability in the nanofiber production field and has developed customized electrospinning devices from laboratory-sized desktop starter kits to industrial-scale electrospinning machines. Offering a wide range of electrospinning machine options in three main categories; Laboratory Scale, Semi-Industrial and Industrial Scale Nanofiber production machines, Inovenso currently manufactures needle-based, hybrid, single-nozzle and multi-nozzle electrospinning devices and their accessories.

Matregenix Expands Manufacturing

Matregenix Inc., a California-based technology company expanded into a new manufacturing facility in Irvine, CA. The company installed a new nanofiber production line at its new site and plans to add at least another one by the end of the year.

“The time has arrived for us to add capacity. Over the past year during the global pandemic, we focused on research to develop new products and strengthen our IP portfolio while simultaneously serving our respirator customers by supplying our novel N95 filter media. We have received significant inbound demand and it is time to ramp up our production to be able to meet it,” states Dr. Sherif Soliman, founder and CEO of Matregenix.

“We are putting the new production line to work immediately to produce nanofiber filter media for respirator application,” says Ed O’Sullivan, general counsel of Matregenix. “Fortunately, this market should face some slowdown, but we feel like we have a social obligation to our respirator manufacturers who have taken up the fight against Covid-19. Moreover, the market for N95 respirator pre-Covid was filled with substandard products from China, driven by price opposed to quality. We believe that the pandemic significantly changed that, especially in the health care market. In addition to a shift in customer awareness, a new awareness of the importance of stockpiles and the shelf life of these products emerged. Only nanofiber technology can address these issues.”

Soliman adds: “Nanofiber adoption in commercial applications has been limited due to a deficient understanding of large-scale production requirements in this specialized field. Our team’s experience and understanding of this medium uniquely positions us to take the success in the lab and translate them into commercial-grade products.”

The structure of nanofiber media makes them an exceptional material for blocking fine dust particles, aerosols, bacteria, or viruses. Nanofiber-based filters provide better filtration performance in comparison with conventional materials at a significantly lighter weight. Matregenix is expanding the application of its filter media technology in many industrial applications such as HVAC and intake gas turbine filter media.

The company also continues to leverage its nanofiber technology to co-develop biomaterial-based constructs for medical implant applications with various strategic partners. The medical division is located separately at the state-of-the-art wet lab incubator, University Lab Partners, located at the UCI Research Park. 

Verdex to Scale Nanofiber Technology

Verdex has secured funding to scale its proprietary nanofiber technology. The investment, lead by SOSV, an international venture capital firm, will fund the completion of a manufacturing unit in Richmond, VA. This investment follows 10 years of customer validation from top-tier nonwoven companies, critical R&D, and patent filings, resulting in a unique functionalized production technology that is capable of producing a wide range of advanced nanofiber products.
Verdex was founded by Dr. Larry Marshall in 2010, a former DuPont researcher. Verdex uses a proprietary solvent-free process using only low heated air to produce its nanofiber media.

“One of the most unique abilities in The Verdex Process is our ability to customize and functionalize our nanofibers. This allows Verdex to incorporate particles into the fiber matrix to target specific challenges and problems in multiple industries to create game-changing products,” says Damien Deehan, co-CEO.

As Verdex looks for a disruptive product to go-to-market, the company has concentrated all its efforts in developing a first in class HVAC/HEPA media and product that Verdex believes will be a game-changer for the industry. Unlike current HVAC media which lacks the ability to capture viruses / submicron particles, Verdex’s patented process provides a three-dimensional nanofiber media which combines high submicron particle capture.