Electrospinning Technology and Electrospun Materials from Past to Present

Electrospinning has evolved from a foundational scientific phenomenon into a versatile and transformative platform technology for fabricating nanofibers. Despite its long history, recent developments in the area have been rapid. The technique enables effective regulation of fiber diameter, composition, and architecture, presenting a broad prospect in advanced research and industrial applications. This review provides a holistic examination of the advancements in electrospinning technology and electrospun materials, focusing on the evolution of the technology itself from lab-scale to industrial-scale systems, as well as the material structural designs and industrial applications. The single-needle—multi-needle—needleless evolution of the technology forms the mainstream development trend for electrospinning technology, decorated by niche and significant innovations for specific applications. These systems are all based on the same fundamentals of electrospinning, which is the starting point of this review. The discussion extends to the structural design of electrospun materials across multi-dimensional scales, ranging from one-dimensional nanofibers, two-dimensional membranes, to three-dimensional bulk materials. These hierarchical structures underpin the groundbreaking multifunctionality of electrospun nanomaterials, enabling their successful deployment in filtration and separation, thermal and moisture management textiles, energy storage and harvesting devices, aerospace, and biomedical and sensing applications. Finally, we highlight prevailing challenges and future perspectives aimed at expanding application frontiers, enhancing mechanical durability, achieving sustainable and scalable manufacturing, and integrating with smart systems. This review is expected to serve as a comprehensive reference on the advancement of electrospinning technology to date.