Recent advances in piezoelectric textile materials: A brief literature review

Abstract

Smart textiles (ST) can be defined as materials capable of detecting an external stimulus, responding, and adapting its behavior according to the stimulus obtained. The field of study and development of these materials is extensive, and ST can be seen in areas such as health, transport, security, civil construction, and sports. Piezoelectric textiles are part of the ST category and are characterized due the ability to generate electrical energy from mechanical stimulus, and vice versa. Therefore, the main objective of this review is to present the current research on piezoelectric ST. In addition, the study highlights the process of obtaining materials with piezoelectric properties and the challenges and limitations, seeking to understand the contribution of the development of these materials in the field of wearable electronic devices. Thus, the main challenge in developing piezoelectric textiles is in the ability to supply energy to electronic devices to be applied in various fields such as motion detection, acoustics, impact absorption, among others. Moreover, piezoelectric ST is remarkably promising for the development of wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles) that consequently impact the creation of new functional materials that enable renewable sources to offer a positive contribution in the daily society.