No. 369: World’s thinnest fiber ready for mass production next year (December 3, 2011)

Toray developed the world thinnest fiber that is 500 nanometers in diameter designed for the application for high-performance apparel, polishing agent, and battery material. The new fiber is long- and nano-fibered polyester, and the mass production is scheduled to start next year. The company plans to produce100 tons annually at its plant in Shizuoka Prefecture by modifying the existing production line, without making a large investment.

Because the new fiber makes the diameter between meshes smaller and finer if it is textured, it will be suitable for a polishing agent for precision parts and components. The company also announced that it had developed a long nanofiber 300 nanometers in diameters and a fiber spinning technology to triangulate and hexagonize the cross section of a fiber. The company plans to start the mass production of these revolutionary kinds of fibers after 2013.