In New Zealand, Revolution Fibres is tripling production of nanofibers to meet demand in a growing range of applications, including personal care and aerospace.
Revolution Fibres uses electrospinning technologies to produce nanofibers from polymers and natural feedstocks such as collagen and hoki fish skins. The small fibers have favorable mechanical strength, reactivity, and conductivity.
CEO Iain Hosie says demand is expected to continue to grow because of increasing use of nanofibers in large scale manufacturing and niche application areas such as aerospace. The company is the only nanofiber producer in the world to meet aerospace industry standards, Hosie tells Inside Composites. “We are now working right across multiple sectors, using both synthetic and bio-based materials. We are ramping up production to ensure we can supply a wide range of new clients and opportunities.”
The company is also expecting strong growth for its marine collagen skin treatment, actiVlayr.
“There’s now a steady stream of industries embracing the characteristics of nanofiber material. This will only increase as research uncovers even greater opportunities in life sciences, and so the potential for nanofiber becomes even more limitless,” Hosie adds.