Abstract: Liquid filtration is a critical process for purification and resource recycling in industrial applications. With the increasing demands of advanced manufacturing, green production, and complex fluid treatment, liquid filtration is developing toward higher filtration precision, greater stability, and enhanced functionality. This review focuses on the industrial applications and technological development of nonwoven materials for liquid filtration. Particular attention is given to needle-punched filter felts/fabrics, melt-blown liquid filter cartridges, wet-laid industrial filter papers, and nonwoven supports for separation membranes. The effects of different fiber structures, pore-structure regulation strategies, and composite fabrication technologies on filtration performance and in-service stability are analyzed. Meanwhile, recent advances in nonwoven materials, including electrospun nanofibers, surface and interfacial functionalization, and multiscale composite structures, are discussed. Their potential applications in high-precision filtration, oil-water separation, and complex fluid treatment are also evaluated. Based on a systematic review of representative products and the current state of the industry in China and abroad, corrosion resistance, low extractables, high cleanliness, and long service life are identified as important development directions for nonwoven liquid filtration materials in emerging applications, including the new energy sector, biopharmaceuticals, electronic chemicals, and data center cooling.

Key words: liquid filtration; nonwoven materials; needle-punched nonwovens; melt-blown nonwovens; filter cartridges