Aramid nanofibers (ANFs) were first developed in Kotov’s lab in 2011, where, in an ACS Nano paper, we demonstrated their synthesis through the controlled dissolution of Kevlar threads in a KOH-DMSO system. Since then, ANFs have garnered significant attention and have been widely used as a novel nanoscale building block in applications such as battery separators, osmotic membranes, hydrogels, aerogels, fibers, and more. In this talk, I will share the story behind the invention of ANFs more than a decade ago and discuss the subsequent development of ANF-based biomimetic materials in my group. I will also highlight recent advances in understanding the structural features of ANFs. Finally, I will explore how the self-assembly pathway for ANF synthesis has inspired my thoughts on the future direction of ANF research.
