Abstract
The integration of carbon nanotube fabric into textiles is paving its way into smart materials and wearable applications. Potential novel applications of carbon nanotube hybrid (CNTH) materials and fabric composites span across a range of market levels from high-level PPE appropriate for military and industrial applications down to consumer products that can be used in everyday scenarios. The high-level performance properties of CNTH materials and their ability to be customized provide new possibilities for constructing fabrics with properties that are made to order. Furthermore, CNTH in combination with advanced textile compositing and construction methods allows the CNTH material to further leverage material customization aspects to meet specific requirements. The unique synthesis process for nanotube fabric allows for modification of the physical properties of the CNTH itself. The CNTH fabric combined with the customizability of standard textile composite materials and with the use of apparel design features allows for the design of materials with new combinations of physical properties. These unique properties offer high potential for developing families of smart wearable garments that can be scaled for industrial production. This article discusses the synthesis of carbon nanotube hybrid fabric, the process of hybrid fabric and textile integration, properties of the hybrid textile, and potential applications. The paper also provides an outlook towards large scale production of the hybrid textile material.
Highlights
The combination of nanomaterials with textiles is an emerging field of study that offers new materials with fascinating properties and useful applications
Customized Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) hybrid (CNTH) fabric can be used in military personal protective equipment, healthcare, and fashion
To fully explain CNTH materials, we must first define carbon nanotubes, nanoscale fibers and the components that make up macro scale textiles and fabrics
Summary
The combination of nanomaterials with textiles is an emerging field of study that offers new materials with fascinating properties and useful applications. New customization methods integrate CNT materials into sandwich structures and fabrics at the nano and macro scales. Carbon nanotubes have been used to conduct electricity [5], store energy [6,7], in filtering air and water [8,9], and many other applications. The advantage of this nanoengineered fabric is the ability to exploit and combine the exceptional properties of this CNT nanomaterial within one material without compromising the flexibility and comfort of the fabric. To fully explain CNTH materials, we must first define carbon nanotubes, nanoscale fibers and the components that make up macro scale textiles and fabrics. Independent fibers and strands of fibers are either adhered, entangled, or fused together
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