Breakthrough in Nanofibers Production: Scientists Develop Scalable and Sustainable Method

Researchers from Sichuan University have made a significant discovery in the field of nanofibers, developing a method to produce high-yield exfoliation of silk nanofibers using green solvents. The study, published in Biomacromolecules, reveals that hydrogen-bonding small molecules, such as water, methanol, and ethanol, can be introduced into deep eutectic solvents to reconfigure hydrogen-bond networks and enhance exfoliation. The resulting silk nanofibers preserved their hierarchical structures and were assembled into flexible membranes with a tensile strength of 34 MPa, effectively removing microplastics with rejection rates above 91% through combined size exclusion and adsorption.

Key Takeaways:

• The research demonstrated the use of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) mixed with water to exfoliate silk nanofibers, resulting in a yield of 98.3% within 24 hours.
• The introduction of hydrogen-bonding small molecules into DESs reconfigured hydrogen-bond networks, decreased viscosity, and enhanced proton transfer, leading to improved exfoliation.
• The resulting silk nanofibers were assembled into flexible membranes with a tensile strength of 34 MPa and effectively removed microplastics with rejection rates above 91%.
• The method has been proven to be scalable and sustainable, using green solvents that reduce environmental impact.
• The research highlights the potential of DESs/water mixtures as sustainable solvent systems for the production of high-performance nanofibers for water purification applications.

Statistics:

• 98.3% yield of silk nanofibers exfoliated within 24 hours using DES/water mixtures.
• 34 MPa tensile strength of the resulting flexible membranes.
• 91% rejection rate of microplastics through combined size exclusion and adsorption.
• Average silk nanofiber diameter reduced from 239 ± 184 nm to 109 ± 27 nm using DES/water mixtures.

Sources:

• Facile Exfoliation of Silk Nanofibrils Enabled by Hydrogen Bond Network Reconfiguration in Deep Eutectic Solvent/Water Systems. Biomacromolecules, 2025.
• NewsRx. Reports from Sichuan University Highlight Recent Findings in Nanofibers (Facile Exfoliation of Silk Nanofibrils Enabled by Hydrogen Bond Network Reconfiguration in Deep Eutectic Solvent/Water Systems). Nanotechnology Weekly. October 20, 2025; p 3281.