Fouad Maksoud - العربية

education
Researcher at the American University of Beirut
age
27
nationality
Lebanon
innovation

Fouad is a researcher at the American University of Beirut. He is working on what is called "Nanoskin".

Nanoskin is a patented industrial electrospinner designed to directly coat clothes with nanofibers: the concept has been proven on shirts, pants, and socks, by changing the nature of these textiles.

Nanoskin is a half-ton machine that has more than 1,060 nozzles ejecting polymeric solution, with a potential difference of 25,000 volts to coat different types of Nano-membranes on both sides of clothes: gaining advanced physical, chemical and biological properties from the coated nanofibers. For example, a regular shirt will be transformed to waterproof and breathable from the outside, with a drug delivery system from the inside similar to a Nano-bandage.

For instance, super hydrophobic polymers on the outer layer create a water barrier that blocks water molecules from getting inside. But thanks to nanofibers tortuosity, sweat vapors are free to pass, hence, our skin breathes normally.