China's synthetic fiber output now accounts for over 70% of the global total, yet high-end functional fibers still face bottlenecks in self-sufficiency. Against this backdrop, a series of breakthroughs by Academician Zhu Meifang's team at Donghua University—from civilian 'Montese' to lunar soil spinning—not only demonstrate technological depth but also reveal a viable path from lab to production line.
From Livelihood to Frontier: Four Decades of Fiber Science Evolution
In the 1970s, China's chemical fiber technology was weak, and even ordinary shirts were hard to make crisp and durable. Starting in 1984, Zhu Meifang began with fine-denier polypropylene fibers, leading her team to tackle fundamental molecular structure theories, gradually solving 'bottleneck' problems in civilian textiles. The core value of this phase lies in that fiber material upgrades directly enhance the quality of end products, laying a foundation for later high-end transformation.
Entering the new century, Zhu proposed the 'organic/inorganic hybrid fiber concept,' merging different materials at the nanoscale to achieve '1+1>2' multifunctional transmission. This innovation pushed fiber materials toward functional, intelligent, and green development. Related technologies were fully industrialized in leading enterprises such as Hengyi, Defolun, and Hengshen, developing 15 functional products and driving nearly 100 billion yuan in new industry output. For buyers, this means a significantly improved supply of functional fabrics, reducing reliance on imports.
Frontier Breakthroughs: Industrialization Potential of Lunar Soil Spinning and Hydrogel Fiber
'Lunar soil spinning' is the most imaginative project of Zhu's team. Facing lunar soil samples brought back by Chang'e-5, the team independently designed a simulated lunar soil spinning equipment, achieving continuous melt spinning internationally for the first time. This breakthrough not only provides material support for future lunar base construction but also validates the possibility of fiber forming under extreme environments, offering references for special fibers in aerospace and deep-sea exploration.
Another noteworthy achievement is hydrogel fiber. The team built the world's first continuous production line, achieving precise control over fiber diameter and optical performance, producing new fibers with excellent biocompatibility. This technology can be applied in biomedicine and smart wearables, currently in pilot stage, with mass production expected within 3-5 years. For downstream factories, this means smart textile technology reserves are ready, but cost control remains key to commercialization.
Industrial Landing: Songjiang Base and Regional Cluster Effects
Zhu's team established the National Key Laboratory for Advanced Fiber Materials Songjiang Innovation Base in Shanghai's Songjiang District, focusing on AI, biomedicine, and extreme-environment materials, implementing a 'bidding' mechanism. Currently, 47 projects are undergoing concept validation and pilot scaling, leveraging Songjiang's 100-billion-level advanced materials cluster to accelerate transformation. This model's significance for the textile industry lies in deep integration between research institutions and industrial belts, shortening the cycle from 'bookshelf' to 'shelf,' providing a replicable template for other clusters.
From an industry trend perspective, China's fiber technology has shifted from following to running alongside or even leading, but import substitution for high-end fibers still has room. Zhu's practice shows that combining basic research breakthroughs with industrial innovation mechanisms is essential for true technological autonomy. For textile enterprises, paying attention to such frontier dynamics helps in early layout of next-generation products.