Fiber scientist Margaret Frey creates nanofibers that are hundreds of times thinner than a human hair, and studies the way these fibers can remove pathogens from air and water, aid textile biodegradation, and offer cooling on a warming planet. Frey’s fibers can block certain UV wavelengths, and when embedded in umbrellas and clothing or added as a very thin layer on buildings, they provide cooling and UV protection. For 20 years, Frey has studied and engineered nanofibers to filter air and water to remove chemicals and pathogens. These types of nanoparticles are now used in most commercial air filtration devices. Frey also works with the cotton industry to improve biodegradation and minimize waste. “Waste textiles are a huge issue in the environment – there are heaps of waste textiles on coasts in Africa and enormous piles of textiles being burning in South American desserts,” Frey said. “We need to value these materials, value the people who are making them, and value the environmental resources needed to create them.”
Frey can frequently be found walking her golden retrievers, Scooby and Chenille on campus and hopes we’ll get plenty of snow this winter.