3D Woven Structure Research Articles

Assessment of the Influence of Fabric Structure on Their Electro-Conductive Properties.

Electro-conductive fabrics are key materials for designing and developing wearable smart textiles. The properties of textile materials depend on the production method, the technique which leads to high conductivity, and the structure. The aim of the research work was to determine the factors affecting the electrical conductivity of woven fabrics and elucidate the mechanism of electric current conduction through this complex, aperiodic textile material. The chemical composition of the material surface was identified using scanning electron microscopy energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy. The van der Pauw method was employed for multidirectional resistance measurements. The coefficient was determined for the assessment of the electrical anisotropy of woven fabrics. X-ray micro-computed tomography was used for 3D woven structure geometry analysis. The anisotropy coefficient enabled the classification of electro-conductive fabrics in terms of isotropic or anisotropic materials. It was found that the increase in weft density results in an increase in sample anisotropy. The rise in thread width can lead to smaller electrical in-plane anisotropy. The threads are unevenly distributed in woven fabric, and their widths are not constant, which is reflected in the anisotropy coefficient values depending on the electrode arrangement. The smaller the fabric area covered by four electrodes, the fewer factors leading to structure aperiodicity.

Electrical conductivities and temperature distributions of carbon fiber 3D woven composites with different electric field direction

Electrical conductivities and temperature generations are related closely for carbon fiber composites under electric fields. Here we reported the current conductivity and electro-thermal behavior of carbon fiber reinforced 3D orthogonal woven structure composites (3DOWCs) along different current directions. The influence of woven architectures and contacts on electrical and thermal behaviors was analyzed with finite element analysis (FEA) model. We found that the conductivity was the highest along warp direction and the lowest along Z-binder direction. The conductivity increased with the increase of in-plane angles. The overall conductivity of Z-binder direction was affected by weft/Z-binder yarn interface. In-plane angle directions, the warp/weft interfacial conductivity affected overall conductivities, which had the largest temperature contribution. The maximum current density and temperature of warp yarns decreased with the increase of in-plane angles. The proportion of weft yarns in current density and temperature rise increased with the increase of in-plane angles.

Unraveling the effects of preform structures on the microstructure, electromagnetic shielding properties, and thermal conductivity of 3D orthogonal C/C composites

To expand the application of C/C composites in the field of 5G satellite, this paper explores the influence of different preform structures on the mechanical properties, EMI shielding properties, and thermal conductivity of C/C composites. Three common 3D fabric preform structures with different weaving parameters are designed. The pore evolution process of different samples was analyzed by image recognition processing method and pore partition method. The findings indicate that the 3D Fine weave pierced structure leads to higher graphitization degree. 3D orthogonal woven structure results in a higher compression strength of up to 240 MPa. Furthermore, the molding method of 3D orthogonal woven structure exhibits superior EMI SE and thermal conductivity. The EMI shielding mode of C/C composites is the coexistence of absorption and reflection. And excellent texture and a high fiber volume fraction are beneficial to improve thermal conductivity. In conclusion, 3D orthogonal woven structure is more suitable for producing C/C composites with high strength, superior EMI shielding, and enhanced thermal conductivity compared to 3D Fine weave pierced structure. This study reveals a new control method of high-performance materials for 5G satellites.

Preparation and electromagnetic performance of a light-weight, thin, and high-gain three-dimensional woven hollow structure microstrip antenna

With the popularity of 5 G, there is an increasing request for a light, high-performance, and stable structure for wireless communication. To solve the problems of delamination cracking and its own heavy weight of the conventional microstrip antenna, this study used ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) filament tows and purple copper filament tows as raw materials to prepare 3D woven hollow structure microstrip antenna preforms on a common loom. Using the prepared preforms for reinforcement and resin as the matrix, the VARTM process was used to prepare a 3D woven hollow structure microstrip antenna with a height of 6.8 mm, a weight of 35 g, and a bulk density of 0.7 g/cm3. The combination of the electromagnetic performance test and HFSS software simulation shows that the antenna has excellent radiation performance with a gain of 7.5 dB and a measured VSWR of 1.25. The mechanical performance test results show that it can withstand a maximum compression load of 2982 N and a maximum bending load of 364 N with no obvious delamination at the fracture. It is light, thin, and load-bearing with excellent radiation performance. There will be great potential in the unmanned field and the space field in the future.

Structure genome based machine learning method for woven lattice structures

As a type of lightweight composite material, three-dimensional (3D) woven lattice structure (WLS) has been extensively applied in various fields. It is extremely significant to investigate its mechanical properties. Complex structure parameters make property prediction a great challenge. In this research, structure genome (SG) of 3D WLSs was defined with four SG characteristics, including the panel thickness, the meridional and zonal angles of fiber pillars and the mass fraction of the resin. A SG-based deep neural network method was conducted to predict the fundamental mechanical properties, including the flatwise compression strength and the out-of-plane elastic modulus. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified by comparing the experimental data with the predictions. The results show that the prediction accuracy is more than 90% for most parts of the testing set. Through sensitivity analysis, the panel thickness and the mass fraction of the resin were identified as the most dominant parameter characteristics, which determine the overall performance. The method provides guidance for structure design of 3D WLSs.

Three-dimensional narrow woven fabric with in-plane auxetic behavior

Different auxetic structures and auxetic phenomena are continuously explored by researchers in the field of textiles with enhanced properties for broader application areas. However, developing three-dimensional (3D) auxetic structures by using weaving technology is a real challenge compared to knitting and non-weaving techniques. This research work reports a novel approach to develop 3D woven structures with in-plane auxetic behavior. A conventional 3D multilayer orthogonal through-the-thickness structure was converted into a 3D auxetic woven structure. The structure was designed with three different yarn components to incorporate auxetic geometry. One type of yarn was used in the warp direction, while the other two-yarn systems, comprised of fine elastic yarn and coarse binding yarn, were used in the weft direction. The auxetic geometry achieved resembles the reentrant hexagon by the unusual arrangement of warp yarns. For an in-depth study of the structure, nine fabric samples were fabricated by using a conventional semi-automatic weaving machine with four different influencing parameters. The developed samples were then tested on a tensile testing machine to evaluate their mechanical and auxetic behavior. The results show that the 3D fabrics have a negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) even at higher tensile strain and that the appropriate binding to the warp yarn diameter can produce a higher NPR. In addition, the repeat size of the elastic weft yarn, bending stiffness of the binding yarn, and stretch percentage of the elastic weft yarn can highly affect the NPR of the fabric. Furthermore, among all the 3D woven fabrics developed with different structural parameters, the maximum NPR achieved was –1.61.

Research on development of 3D woven textile-reinforced composites and their flexural behavior

In this study, a new weaving technology with a modified heddle position system based on a self-built three-dimensional (3D) weaving loom is designed, and four typical 3D woven-structure textile groups are manufactured: layer-to-layer orthogonal weaving, through-thickness orthogonal weaving, layer-to-layer angle-interlock weaving, and through-thickness angle-interlock weaving. The new weaving technology has great potential for manufacturing various 3D woven structures effectively and efficiently. The fabricated 3D woven textile-reinforced epoxy-resin composites undergo quasi-static three-point bending tests to study the influence of the woven structure on the flexural performance and failure modes along the textile warp and weft directions. The composites along the weft direction (weft-direction beams) have a larger flexural modulus but smaller failure strain compared with the warp direction (warp-direction beams) for all woven-structure types. Among the designed 3D textile composites, the angle-interlock woven structures have a larger flexural strength (50%), modulus (40%), and failure resistance than have the orthogonal-woven structures. Overall, the through-thickness angle-interlock woven structure has the best flexural-failure resistance among all textile structures, and is the optimal structural design based on this modified weaving technology.

Effect of bias yarn on tensile fracture mechanism of multiaxial 3D angle-interlock woven composites

A novel 3D woven structure was designed and developed in this paper, namely multiaxial 3D angle-interlock woven composites (MAWC). In order to determine the specific influence of bias yarns on the tensile properties and failure mechanisms, two MAWCs with different weave patterns and 3D angle-interlock woven composites (3DAWC) were fabricated. Based on the meso-structure characteristics of MAWC, a realistic meso-model was proposed. The tensile behavior of MAWCs and 3DAWC were experimentally characterized, and the full-field strain distributions were recorded by digital image correlation (DIC). Moreover, a progressive damage model along with the X-ray micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) technique were applied to reveal the damage processes and failure mechanisms of composites. Results showed that the axial tensile strength of MAWCs decreased due to the change of yarn orientation. The stress-strain curves of two MAWCs presented nonlinear behavior, while those of 3DAWC could be seen as linear within the whole strain range. Stress concentration regions of two MAWCs were found to be distributed more dispersedly than those of 3DAWC. The local tow splitting, fiber slippage and interfacial debonding were the primary failure modes of bias yarn in MAWCs under tension.

Influence of different textile structure reinforced composite leaf spring on their fabrication potential

In advanced engineering applications, machining of composite material is a must to perform necessary assembly operations. This work deals with the investigation of fabrication potential of Glass/epoxy composites reinforced with different textile structures in the form of E-glass based chopped fiber, unidirectional (UD) tow, bidirectional (2D) plain woven, four different 3D woven orthogonal solid structures with varying binder percentage and one 3D woven angle interlock structure. The Influence of reinforcement architecture on tensile strength, drilling damage, bearing response, specific energy absorption (bending), and spring stiffness of composites structure was investigated. Damage analysis due to drilling was primarily assessed in terms of delamination whereas bearing strength, bearing strain and common bearing failure were examined from the bearing strength test. Different bearing failure was observed for different composite structures; UD composite was noticed with complete shear out failure while chopped failed due to tearing and 2D structure reinforced composite predominantly failed due to tearing and delamination failure. 3D orthogonal composite failed due to tearing in the warp direction and shear out in weft direction whereas 3D interlock failed due to tearing in both warp and weft direction. 3D orthogonal based composite structure exhibited the highest specific energy absorption (SEA) along with improved spring stiffness and therefor it could be a potential material for automotive leaf spring application.

3D angle-interlock woven structural wearable triboelectric nanogenerator fabricated with silicone rubber coated graphene oxide/cotton composite yarn

The fabric-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with flexibility, diverse structure and energy harvesting aroused widespread concern in recent years for various portable electronics. Herein, a 3D angle-interlock woven (3DAW) structural wearable TENG with high output performance was fabricated with silicone rubber coated graphene oxide/cotton composite yarn. Composite yarn acts the role of energy conversion and it was fabricated to specific 3D woven structure to further improve its electrical properties. The optimal single yarn with a diameter of 2 mm demonstrates open-circuit voltage of 30.8 V and short-circuit current of 1.1μA using constant loading force tapping (~10 N). The obtained 3DAW-TENG reveals the output power of 225 mW/m2 with the area of 5 cm×7 cm, which is more outstanding compared with those of 2D plain structure and 3D double-layer plain structure. The 3DAW-TENG also successfully shows the application in charging small electronics and triggering voltage sensors. It's suggested that the 3DAW-TENG can be a potential candidate for the filed of wearables and self-powered sensors.

Yarn degradation during weaving process and its effect on the mechanical behaviours of 3D warp interlock p-aramid fabric for industrial applications

Three dimensional (3D) warp interlock fabric becomes a promising structure due to its good mechanical performances. However, its complex manufacturing process can cause severe yarn damage and affects its overall final performances. The current study addressed the effects weaving process and warp yarn ratios on the multi-filaments yarn degradations and its mechanical performances while 3D warp interlock fabric manufacturing. Four different 3D warp interlock variants having similar fabric architecture, and yarn densities but different warp yarns interchange ratios were manufactured using 930dTex high-performance multi-filament (Twaron® f1000). The multi-filaments yarns at different weaving processes were tested for their tensile properties. The results show that the average tensile strength of twisted yarns show a decrement of 5.68% as compared to the bobbin yarns. Meanwhile, warping process also showed a 16.11% maximum breaking load reduction as compared to the bobbin yarn. Besides, the tensile strength of binding yarn after weaving process for samples 3D-8/0, 3D-8/4, and 3D-8/8 was reduced by 12.79%, 5.22%, and 14.22% respectively as compared to the yarn after warping process. In conclusion, yarn degradation inside the 3D woven structure was affected not only by the various process parameters but also by the type of fabric architecture made with different warp yarn ratios. These phenomena ultimately bring a great influence both on the yarn and overall mechanical performance of the final products. For this, further studies are planned to investigate the multi-filaments yarn degradation effect on the ballistic performances fibrous material as it is directly linked to the yarn performance.

Composite Cellularized Structures Created from an Interpenetrating Polymer Network Hydrogel Reinforced by a 3D Woven Scaffold.

Biomaterial scaffolds play multiple roles in cartilage tissue engineering, including controlling architecture of newly formed tissue while facilitating growth of embedded cells and simultaneously providing functional properties to withstand the mechanical environment within the native joint. In particular, hydrogels-with high water content and desirable transport properties-while highly conducive to chondrogenesis, often lack functional mechanical properties. In this regard, interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels can provide mechanical toughness greatly exceeding that of individual components; however, many IPN materials are not biocompatible for cell encapsulation. In this study, an agarose and poly(ethylene) glycol IPN hydrogel is seeded with human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Results show high viability of MSCs within the IPN hydrogel, with improved mechanical properties compared to constructs comprised of individual components. These properties are further strengthened by integrating the hydrogel with a 3D woven structure. The resulting fiber-reinforced hydrogels display functional macroscopic mechanical properties mimicking those of native articular cartilage, while providing a local microenvironment that supports cellular viability and function. These findings suggest that a fiber-reinforced IPN hydrogel can support stem cell chondrogenesis while allowing for significantly enhanced, complex mechanical properties at multiple scales as compared to individual hydrogel or fiber components.

3D Orthogonal Woven Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Effective Biomechanical Energy Harvesting and as Self-Powered Active Motion Sensors.

The development of wearable and large-area energy-harvesting textiles has received intensive attention due to their promising applications in next-generation wearable functional electronics. However, the limited power outputs of conventional textiles have largely hindered their development. Here, in combination with the stainless steel/polyester fiber blended yarn, the polydimethylsiloxane-coated energy-harvesting yarn, and nonconductive binding yarn, a high-power-output textile triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with 3D orthogonal woven structure is developed for effective biomechanical energy harvesting and active motion signal tracking. Based on the advanced 3D structural design, the maximum peak power density of 3D textile can reach 263.36 mW m-2 under the tapping frequency of 3 Hz, which is several times more than that of conventional 2D textile TENGs. Besides, its collected power is capable of lighting up a warning indicator, sustainably charging a commercial capacitor, and powering a smart watch. The 3D textile TENG can also be used as a self-powered active motion sensor to constantly monitor the movement signals of human body. Furthermore, a smart dancing blanket is designed to simultaneously convert biomechanical energy and perceive body movement. This work provides a new direction for multifunctional self-powered textiles with potential applications in wearable electronics, home security, and personalized healthcare.

Tuning the structure of 3D woven aramid fabrics reinforced with shear thickening fluid for developing soft body armour

Soft body armour panels have been developed by tuning the structure of 3D woven orthogonal aramid fabrics and reinforcing them with shear thickening fluid (STF). Five 3D woven orthogonal aramid fabric structures were prepared by changing the ratio of stuffer (X direction) to binder (Z direction) yarns and also by changing the relative position of the latter. Two types of ballistic evaluations, namely energy absorption against low velocity (165±10 ms−1) bullets and back face signature (BFS) against high velocity (430±10 ms−1) bullets were carried out for neat and STF impregnated 3D fabrics and their panels. STF impregnation improved impact energy absorption by 3D woven aramid fabrics. Increasing the ratio of stuffer to binder yarns was found to be beneficial in terms of impact energy absorption and resistance against bullet penetration. STF impregnated 3D fabrics having 4:1 stuffer to binder ratio performed the best in ballistic evaluations. Synergistic effect of 3D woven fabric structure and reinforcement of STF was found to be the key for successful design of soft body armour.

Influence of Kind of Weft Yarn on Properties of the Seersucker Woven Fabrics

Abstract Seersucker woven fabrics create a unique 3D woven structure. Such 3D structure is usually received on loom by an application of two warps of different tension. However, a kind of the weft yarn also significantly influences the structure and properties of the seersucker woven fabric. The paper presents an investigation of the seersucker fabrics made of the same set of warps and different weft yarns. The mechanical properties of the investigated fabrics were measured by means of the standardized testing methods. The structure of the fabric was assessed using the 3D laser scanning.

Production principles for a T-shaped 3D woven nodal structure (T-3DWNS)

The integrated three-dimensional (3D) woven nodal structure (3DWNS) is regarded as one category of 3D textile structure, and it has potential applications for creating lightweight composite truss structures. The conventional weaving technology has been adapted for the manufacture of a variety of 3DWNS’s. This allows the production, in the woven fabric plane, of either a two-dimensional (2D) flat solid form, or a 2D-shaped woven preform. Once the woven 2D form is removed from the tensions of the loom enables the transition from 2D into a 3D woven structure (2D-to-3D). This article introduces an innovative approach based on the conventional weaving principles for creating a fully integrated 3DWNS in a T-shape (T-3DWNS). This fabrication method provided the forming of a node point without distortion, whilst maintaining the circumference of the adjoining child strut to a main/parent strut. This eliminated the need for further joining processes to bond the truss structure together, providing a fully integrated and lighter textile truss structure for composites engineering. This article defines the design parameters and range of specifications for the production of the T-3DWNS and introduces derivative configurations for future development.

General definition of 3D warp interlock fabric architecture

3D warp interlock fabric can be used as a fibrous reinforcement for composite material. Despite of the numerous research papers dealing with this specific woven structure, few researches were conducted to clearly define this multi-layer fabric. Moreover, in many research papers, unskilled scientists of weaving technology have some difficulty to describe the different components of the 3D warp interlock fabric and sometimes make some confusion between the different architecture. Then, with a lack of a clear definition of these 3D multi-layer fabrics, most of the research papers are conducted on a very limited number of structures such as orthogonal, angle and layer to layer interlock.Thus, based on different definitions proposed by skilled scientists, a new general definition of a 3D warp interlock fabric has been proposed to better describe the position of the several yarns located inside the 3D woven structure. Thanks to this improved definition, we hope that the scientific community will use it in order to better design new architectures and conduct finer research based on these product parameters.

Dry spun 3D woven carbon nanotube anode electrode for Li-lon batteries.

Although carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have extraordinary mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, application of CNTs remains limited due to their unique nano-sized tubular forms. CNT electrodes have relatively high sheet resistance, which does not meet the industrial requirements of various electrode materials. Thus, there are still challenges for improving the performance of CNTs in real applications, particularly in terms of satisfying industrial requirements. In this study, to utilize CNTs in bulk scale electrode applications, we developed a dry spinning technique. The dry spinning technique is a solid state fiber spinning technique that provides an adjustable aligned structure. The dry spinning approach also offers a facile and inexpensive fabrication process, factors which are favorable for industrial scalability for fabricating electrodes. We demonstrate a multilayer stacking process for enhancing the performance for Li-ion batteries. Multi-layer CNT textiles have low sheet resistance and a 3D woven structure provides high surface area. The fabricated 3D woven structured electrode delivers a higher reversible capacity of more than 400 mA hr/g with high cycle stabilities.

Design and electromagnetic properties of conformal single-patch microstrip antennas integrated into three-dimensional orthogonal woven fabrics

As one of the efficient structures for soft body armor, the three-dimensional (3D) woven structure has relatively good properties. In this study, the concept of conformal microstrip antennas integrated into the 3D woven structure is proposed, which is anticipated for application in the modern wireless communication. For comparison, the microstrip antennas with the copper foil patch and copper yarn patch are both fabricated. The return losses of the antennas show that both of the antennas have adequate values with the resonant frequencies in the L band range. The main beam level and the gain of the copper yarn patch antenna are lower than those of the copper foil patch antenna, mainly due to the relatively low electrical conductivity of the patch. Under certain curvatures, the return loss and radiation pattern of the curved antenna are not significantly different from those of the planar one, indicating good conformability of this type of antenna.

Large-scale finite element analysis of a 3D angle-interlock woven composite undergoing low-cyclic three-point bending fatigue

This paper reports the large-scale finite element analysis (FEA) of a 3D angle-interlock layer-to-layer woven composite material undergoing low-cyclic three-point bending fatigue at microstructure level. A microstructure geometrical model of the 3D woven composite material was established to model the real structure of the woven composite. The fatigue behaviors of the 3D woven composite undergoing three-point bending with sinusoidal wave-form were investigated from experimental and FEA approaches. Based on displacement-controlled bending and inelastic hysteresis energy fatigue damage criterion, the interior deformation, energy absorption, and stress distribution characteristics during the fatigue process were analyzed. The different failure mechanisms and damage patterns of yarns and resin were discussed. The influence of the 3D woven structure on the fatigue behaviors was discussed. The fatigue damage morphologies and stiffness degradation were obtained to compare with the experimental results. The results show that the most of energy was absorbed by warp yarns. Stress concentration was emerged on the inclined part of warp yarns and the interface between yarns and resin. The damage morphologies from experimental and FEA results are in good agreement. The stiffness degradation curves also show the same tendency.