Nanofibers are used to enhance polymer composites with stronger mechanical, electrical or thermal properties. The demand for lightweight materials with high tensile strength is strong and growing in the aerospace and automotive industry. The adoption of composite material in airplanes can reduce fuel consumption by 25%, lowering costs and reducing CO2 emission.
Applications incorporating conductive nanofibers like CNTs to enhance electrical properties like in conductive plastic or transparent conductive foils have been introduced to the market.
Elastomers with nanofibers or nanoplatelets as filler exhibit superior mechanical, thermal and electrical properties than materials with standard fillers.
The use of large quantities of composite materials and the often-necessary post-processing required in the composite industry create a high exposure likelihood in several process steps along the value chain.