nanofiberien

Nanofiberien is a term used to describe a class of nanoscale fibrous materials characterized by diameters in the range of tens to hundreds of nanometers and lengths ranging from a few micrometers to several millimeters. The elongated morphology produces a high surface area-to-volume ratio and interconnected porosity, properties that can be tuned through material choice and fabrication conditions.

Composition and architectures

Nanofiberien can be polymeric, inorganic (such as ceramics or metal oxides), carbon-based, or composites. They may be produced as solid, hollow, or core–shell structures and can be arranged into nonwoven mats, aligned fibers, or knitted networks. Functionalization through surface chemistry or incorporation of dopants allows modification of chemical, electrical, or optical properties.

Synthesis and processing

Common production methods include electrospinning, melt or solution spinning, centrifugal jet spinning, and templated or templated-tibrated approaches for inorganic variants. Post-synthesis treatments such as crosslinking, annealing, or surface grafting are often used to enhance stability or tailor interactions with other materials.

Properties

Mechanical strength and stiffness depend on composition and fiber alignment, while thermal stability and chemical resistance can be enhanced for high-temperature or corrosive environments. Electrical conductivity can be introduced via conductive polymers or fillers. The high porosity and surface area support rapid mass transport and surface interactions, desirable for catalysis, sensing, or filtration.

Applications

Potential uses include filtration of air and water, protective textiles, wound dressings and tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery, chemical and biosensors, energy storage devices, and selective membranes for separations.

Research status

Nanofiberien is a broad concept encompassing various nanofibrous systems. Ongoing work focuses on scalable fabrication, standardized characterization, and integrating these materials into practical devices.