Three-dimensional carbon fiber electrodes prepared by electrospinning and solution blowing are shown to be excellent electrode materials for bioelectrochemical systems such as microbial fuel cells or microbial electrolysis cells. The bioelectrocatalytic anode current density is shown to reach values of up to 30 A m⁻², which represents the highest reported values for electroactive microbial biofilms.

In this article, we review recent work on the co-electrospinning of polymer core–shell nanofibers and the manufacture of hollow nanotubes. The encapsulation and release of bioactive compounds from co-electrospun core–shell fibers is considered next, bearing in mind such applications as sensors and drug release. Then, nanofluidic phenomena in nanotubes made via co-electrospinning (as well as via the other processes) are discussed. We also consider dielectrophoresis in microchannels as a possible tool for the separation of viruses, nanoparticles and macromolecules.