Functional Textiles Research Articles

Influence of Graphene, Carbon Nanotubes, and Carbon Black Incorporated into Polyamide Yarn on Fabric Properties

Carbon nanomaterials are increasingly being integrated into modern research, particularly within the textile industry, to significantly boost performance and broaden application possibilities. This study investigates the impact of incorporating three distinct carbon-based nanofillers—carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon black (CB), and graphene (Gn)—into polyamide 6 (PA6) multifilament yarns. It explores how these nanofillers affect the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of PA6 yarns and fabrics. By utilizing melt extrusion, the nanomaterials were uniformly distributed in the yarns, and knitted fabrics were subsequently produced for detailed analysis. The research offers critical insights into how each nanofiller improves the thermal behavior of PA6-based textiles, enabling the customization of their applications. FTIR spectroscopy revealed significant chemical interactions between polyamide and carbon additives, while DSC analysis showed enhanced thermal stability, particularly with the inclusion of graphene. The introduction of these nanomaterials led to increased absorbance and decreased transmittance in the UV-Vis-NIR spectrum. Additionally, Far-Infrared (FIR) emissivity and thermal effusivity varied with different concentrations, with optimal improvements observed at specific levels. Although thermal conductivity decreased with the addition of these nanomaterials, heat management experiments demonstrated varied effects on heat accumulation and cooling times, underscoring potential applications in insulation and cooling technologies. These findings enrich the existing knowledge on nanomaterial-enhanced textiles, providing valuable guidance for optimizing PA6 yarns and fabrics for use in protective clothing, sportswear, and technical textiles. The comparative analysis offers a thorough understanding of the relationship between carbon nanomaterials and thermal properties, paving the way for innovative advancements in functional textile materials.

Wet-spinning fabrication of stretchable multicolor fluorescent fibers augmented with dual-state emissive dyes

Flexible luminous fibers have attracted wide attention in the field of functional and smart textiles. In this work, stretchable multicolor fluorescent fibers were successfully prepared by wet-spinning using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and the boron ketoimine fluorophores (TPA-BKI dyes). Due to the donor (D)-acceptor (A) push-pull electronic system and highly twisted triphenylamine (TPA) skeleton, TPA-BKI dyes exhibited bright emission in both solution and solid states. Meanwhile, the polymer chains further improved the emission efficiency of TPA-BKI dyes in TPU matrix by avoiding close contact between dye molecules, as well as preventing intramolecular rotations in the excited states. Wet-spinning can be used for large-scale and continuous preparation of fluorescent fibers. The TPA-BKI/TPU fibers showed excellent flexibility, high mechanical strength, and bright multicolor fluorescent emission (green, yellow, and red, respectively) when the dye content was as low as 0.1 wt%. Overall, the feasibility of large-scale preparation of fluorescent fibers and their excellent properties, such as flexibility, multicolor fluorescence, and mechanical stability, make them suitable for potential applications, including clothing displays, fashion designs, security, and anti-counterfeiting.

Fabrication of versatile and durable superhydrophobic cotton fabrics using PTA-Ala adhesive

In recent years, the preparation of functional textiles based on polyphenols adhesion has received extensive attention and research. However, polyphenols are prone to peroxidation during oxidative polymerization, which can compromise the interfacial adhesion of their monomers. Reintroducing reactive functional groups after oxidative polymerization of polyphenols may potentially compensate for the lost interfacial adhesion while increasing cohesion. In this paper, L-alanine (Ala) is introduced into poly (tannic acid) (PTA) solution to generate the PTA-Ala via Michael addition and Schiff base reaction. Original cotton fabrics are modified with PTA-Ala solution to enhance adhesion strength between the fabrics and subsequent functional modifiers. A silver nanowire network is then incorporated to increase the surface roughness through tannic acid reduction. Finally, polydimethylsiloxane is applied to reduce fabric surface energy, resulting in superhydrophobic multifunctional OH-PDMS/Ag/PTA-Ala/cotton fabrics. The finished cotton fabric exhibits a water contact angle of 166.7 ± 1.9° and a rolling angle of 5 ± 0.5°. Moreover, the fabric features diverse functionalities such as oil-water separation, photothermal conversion, antimicrobial properties, water collection, and anti-icing capabilities, alongside excellent durability and self-healing properties that extend its service life. This finished cotton fabric demonstrates promising applications in oil pollution control, outdoor clothing and medical protection, highlighting its broad across various industries.

Synthetic vs. natural antimicrobial agents for safer textiles: a comparative review.

Textiles in all forms act as carriers in transmitting pathogens and provide a medium of microbial growth, especially in those fabrics which are used in sports, medical and innerwear clothing. More attention towards hygiene and personal healthcare made it a necessity to develop pathogen-free textiles. Synthetic and natural antimicrobial compositions are used to control and reduce microbial activity by killing or inhibiting microbial growth on textiles. Synthetic metallic nanoparticles of Ag, Zn, Cu Ti and Ga are the most commonly and recently used advanced nanocomposites. Synthetic organic materials such as triclosan, quaternary ammonium compounds, polyhexamethylene biguanide, and N-halamines have proven antimicrobial activity. Carbon quantum dots are one of the advanced nanomaterials prepared from different kinds of organic carbon material with photoluminescence efficiency also work efficiently in antimicrobial textiles. A greener approach for producing natural antimicrobial textiles has gained significant importance and demand for personal care due to their less toxic effects on health and the environment In comparison to synthetic. The naturally existing materials including extracts and essential oils of plants have significant applications for antimicrobial textiles. Additionally, a number of animal extracts are also used as antimicrobial agents include chitosan, alginate, collagen hydrolysate to prepare naturally treated antimicrobial textiles. This review focuses on the comparative performance of antimicrobial fabrics between synthetic and natural materials. Textiles with synthetic substances cause health and environmental concerns whereas textiles treated with natural compositions are more safe and eco-friendly. Finally, it is concluded that textiles modified with natural antimicrobial compositions may be a better alternative and option as functional textiles.

Continuous Homogeneous Thin Liquid Film on a Single Cross-Shaped Profiled Fiber with High Off-Circularity: Toward Quick-Drying Fabrics.

Quick-drying fabrics, renowned for their rapid sweat evaporation, have witnessed various applications in strenuous exercise. Profiled fiber textiles exhibit enhanced quick-drying performance, which is attributed to the excellent wicking effect within fibrous bundles, facilitating the rapid transport of sweat. However, the evaporation process is not solely influenced by macroscopic liquid transport but also by microscopic liquid spreading on the fibers where periodic liquid knots induced by spontaneous fluidic instability significantly reduce the evaporation area. Here, a cross-shaped profiled fiber with high off-circularity, featured as multiple concavities along the fibrous longitude-axis, which enables the formation of a homogeneous thin liquid film on a single fiber without any periodic liquid knots, is developed. The high off-circularity cross-sections help overcoming Plateau-Rayleigh instability by tuning the Laplace pressure difference, further facilitated by capillary flow along the concave surface. The homogeneous thin liquid film on a single fiber is responsible for maximizing the evaporation area, resulting in excellent overall evaporation capacity. Consequently, fabrics made from such fibers exhibit rapid evaporation behavior, with evaporation rates ≈50% higher than those of cylindrical fabrics. It is envisioned that profiled fibers may provide inspiration for the manipulating homogeneous liquid films for applications in fluid coatings and functional textiles.

Novel pyrimidine-anthraquinone dyes: Design, synthesis, textile applications & their computational SAR analysis

The integration of functional textiles production approach, correlated with organic synthesis and computational elaboration of synthesized anthraquinone-based pyrimidine dyes, makes a significant contribution in multidisciplinary research. The central focus of this project is the production of multipurpose chemical moieties, addressing the current imperative to reduce the human consumption and mitigate the depletion of natural resources by employing cost-effective methods. The present study is focused to synthesize some new molecules as dyes having antibacterial and UV-protection ability. These synthesized dyes were characterized by UV, FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectroscopic analysis that confirmed the structures of targeted molecules. These targeted dyes were applied to fabric and their colorfastness properties were checked according to ISO recommended procedures. The fastness results supported efficient fixation and fading resistance. The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) studies were conducted to measure the UV-protection ability of the dyed fabric. Furthermore, antibacterial ability of dyes was also checked, and experimental results were compared through molecular docking study. Dyes were screened for their absorbance under solvents of different polarity, and these were further analyzed by TD-DFT and DFT analysis.

Light-responsive biowaste-derived and bio-inspired textiles: Dancing between bio-friendliness and antibacterial functionality

Functional antibacterial textiles fabricated from a hybrid of organic waste-derived and bio-inspired materials offer sustainable solutions for preventing microbial infections. In this work, we developed a novel antibacterial textile created through the valorization of spent coffee grounds (SCG). Electrospinning and electrospraying techniques were employed to integrate the biowaste within a polymeric nanofiber matrix, ensuring uniform particle distribution and providing structural support for enhanced applicability. Modification with polydopamine (PDA) significantly enhanced the textile's photothermal performance. Specific attention was paid to understanding the relation between temperature change and key variables, including the surrounding liquid volume, textile layer stacking, and applied laser power. Developed platforms demonstrated excellent photothermal stability. While the SCG-based textile demonstrated exceptional biocompatibility, the PDA-modified textile effectively eradicated Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The developed textiles in our work demonstrate a dynamic balance between biocompatibility and on-demand antibacterial functionality, offering adaptable solutions in accordance with the desired application.

Bioinspired Polydopamine Modification for Interface Compatibility of PDMS-Based Responsive Structurally Colored Textiles.

Textiles that can repeatedly change color in the presence of external stimuli have attracted great interest. Effectively designing to produce such functional textiles is essential, yet there remain challenges like producing stable coloration, rapid response, and reverse color changing. Here, the preparation of a magnetic field response (MFR) textile with a fast magnetic field response, brilliant structural coloration, and mechanical robustness is reported. The MFR textile is knitted by incorporating magnetic particles' ethylene glycol (EG) suspension within polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based fibers. A surface modification strategy is designed to prevent EG from seeping out along the PDMS polymer chains. A PDMS fiber is encapsulated in waterborne polyurethane, and a polydopamine joint layer is used. The MFR textile demonstrates magnetic field-triggered structural colors, and the breaking strength and elongation at break of each composite fiber are improved. In addition, multishaped patterns can be printed on the MFR textile with the help of the photo etching technology, which enhances the applications of the new functional textiles.

ANTIVIRAL TEXTILES AND ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY TESTING - THE USE OF BACTERIOPHAGE SURROGATE FOR ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY TESTING

The risk of dissemination of highly contagious viral diseases (as COVID-19, Ebola) led in the increasing need to develop functional textiles and surfaces with antiviral effect. Antiviral textiles are designed to reduce the viability and infectivity of viruses on their surfaces and by this way to reduce the cases of infection (including re-infection or cross-infection with contaminated textiles). Different antiviral agents and diverse techniques of their application are used for functionalized textiles manufacturing. The most often used antivirals are metallic and ionic silver and copper, iron oxide, quaternary ammonium salts. The aim of the process is to prepare textiles with long-term durable finishing effective in viral activity inhibition. The basic step of functionalized antiviral textiles development is antiviral effectivity testing. The safe method of testing with the use of Phi6 bacteriophage, SARS-CoV-2 and Ebola virus surrogate, was modified for antiviral textiles testing. The samples of textiles with antiviral finishing were tested by the bacteriophage-based method and excellent antiviral activity was detected for all tested materials. The woven cotton was used as reference untreated material, the different textile cotton structures with similar square weight were compared and no statistically significant difference was found between the resulting antiviral efficacy values. A simple and quickly feasible screening method for determining the antiviral properties of textiles, especially with leaching-type of treatment, was also designed and tested.

Multimodal integrated and broadband light-driven antibacterial cellulose fabric based on π-π coupling enhanced intermolecular FRET

Fabrication of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) materials based on organic photosensitizers has garnered considerable attention within functional textiles. However, the UV- or narrow-band absorption range of the photosensitizers results in poor photon utilization of the fabrics, limiting the photodynamic efficiency and wasting solar energy. In this study, a broadband light-driven antibacterial cellulose fabric (CF-ZnPc/NAD) was developed by loading carboxyl-modified zinc(II) phthalocyanine photosensitizer (CAZnPc) and cationic 1,8-naphthalimide fluorescent molecule (NAD) on the fabric via covalent binding and electrostatic adsorption assembly, facilitating the intermolecular π-π coupling and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. There is a 2.54-fold increase in photo-induced ROS generation capacity of CF-ZnPc/NAD via the FRET process compared to that of CF-ZnPc, and it also exhibited a strong photothermal effect (PTT), wherein the temperature of the fabric increased from 24.5 to 53.5 °C within 80 s of illumination (λ > 400 nm, 75 mW/cm2). CF-ZnPc/NAD exhibited strong light-harvesting capacity and a combination of aPDT and PTT, achieving excellent antibacterial performance against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive, S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative, E.coli) with 99.99 % bacterial reduction under 90 min of illumination (λ > 400 nm, 10 ± 1 mW/cm2). This study demonstrates a novel and facile strategy for successfully fabricating high-performance antibacterial cellulose fabrics with potential biomedical prospects.

Strategically engineered multifunctional graphene oxide hybrid nanomaterials for efficient catalytic degradation and emerging contaminants treatment

The use of functional textiles is growing in all fields of science and technology. Surface functionalization is mainly used to impart conventional textiles with new functionalities and improved performances. In the present study, a cobalt ferrite nanoparticle/graphene oxide (CoFe2O4/GO) coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric with excellent catalytic and antibacterial properties, has been successfully developed. The PET-coated CoFe2O4/GO samples, ranging from 1 % to 5 % wt. were obtained using a simple dip-coating method in CoFeO/GO solution (1 mg/mL), and were investigated through several physiochemical characterization techniques. CoFe2O4/GO and PET fabric have been shown to establish an interfacial connection by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that CoFe2O4/GO coating did not affect the PET crystallinity and that CoFe2O4/GO hybrid was incorporated in the PET samples, which was proved as well by the morphological study through Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, thermogravimetric characterisation (TGA) verified that the coating does not change or impair the quality of the fibre and that the PET@CoFe2O4/GO as made is thermally stable. Tensile strength tests demonstrated that coated fabrics exhibited outstanding mechanical properties in comparison with pristine PET. Moreover, the coated PET@CoFe2O4/GO fabric was used as a model catalytic system for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation in the rhodamine B (RhB) degradation reaction. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) measurements showed that TOC removal reached 89.82 % in only 12 min reaction. The results confirmed that the coated fabrics exhibited high catalytic performances, good stability and reusability in consecutive degradation experiments with a degradation rate over 60 % even after 7 degradation cycles; Moreover, it is easily and simply separated from the mixture, by removing the textile sample from the aqueous solution. It is worth mentioning that the PET@CoFe2O4/GO fabrics showed outstanding antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) bacteria with an inhibition diameter zone of up to 13 mm for PET@CoFe2O4/GO (5 %). Overall, these findings are of great importance as they permit the development of a novel multifunctional textile fabric, combining anti-bacterial activity, catalytic performance and mechanical properties. The study provides a textile-based catalyst with improved catalytic performance, re-usability in consecutive degradation reactions and easy catalyst separation compared to traditional supports. Thus, a huge potential application in several fields such as medicine, heterogeneous catalysis, and wastewater treatment.

Preparation of SiO2-IR3535 mosquito repellent nanocapsules and its performance study

The exploration of functional textiles signifies an inexorable path in the future advancement of the textile industry. In this study, sol-gel method was employed to encapsulate IR3535, a mosquito repellent substance, into silica nanocapsules, resulting in the production of silica-ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate (SiO2-IR3535) mosquito repellent nanocapsules with effective mosquito repellency. By manipulating factors such as surfactant dosage, ammonia dosage, wall-to-core ratio, alcohol-to-water ratio, rotational speed, reaction time, and reaction temperature, during the preparation process, the particle size was cpntrolled and optimal conditions for subsequent spining processes was obtained. The prepared SiO2-IR3535 mosquito-repellent nanocapsules exhibited uniform appearance and morphology with consistent size distribution (average particle size: 342 nm). In addition, these nanocapsules exhibited enhanced heat resistance and an oil loading rate of about 13 % as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopic simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), and elemental analyses, and kinetic modeling was performed to fit the release profiles of these capsules. Additionally, SiO2-IR3535 nanocapsules were added into polypropylene fiber by melt spinning method, the prepared polypropylene fiber has been uniformly dispersed both internally and externally within the fiber, thereby it can provide a sustained mosquito-repellent effect to the polypropylene fiber with SiO2-IR3535 nanocapsules.

Multifunctional ultraelastic helical conductive yarn for motion detection and human-machine interaction

Featured with intrinsic lightweight, great flexibility, and easy integration into functional textiles or devices, the stretchable conductive fiber has attracted much attention in the realm of wearable electronics. However, the conductive fibers encounter a troublesome “trade-off” between high conductivity and large elasticity under large deformation, which restricts their widespread applications. Herein, we designed a multifunctional highly elastic helical conductive yarn (HCY) by electrospinning polyurethane (PU) nanofibers, polydopamine (PDA)-assisted silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) deposition and over-twisting. The introduction of a PDA mediated layer fosters strong bond between the conductive AgNPs and the elastic PU nanofibers matrix, showcasing robust structural stability and electrical performance. The hierarchically interlocked conductive structure confers high electrical conductivity to the stretchable HCY, enabling it to withstand large mechanical deformation, which achieves good recoverability within a range of 700 %, great durability (40000 times at deformation of 200 %) and maximum conductive tensile elongation up to 1200 %. Furthermore, the HCY also features excellent Joule-heating ability, great antibacterial performance, and functions as a rapid-response strain sensor (GFmax = 9.82), which is ideal for detecting human motion and enhancing human–machine interactions. This work provides a new path for developing advanced stretchable conductive materials, which is of great significance for versatile ultraelastic wearable electronic devices.

Micro- and Nanoplastics Produced from Textile Finishes: A Review.

The problem of increasing plastic pollution has emerged as a significant societal issue. Plastics can originate from various sources, and there is growing concern among researchers to study and investigate this new category of pollution. The plastic waste is found at the macro, micro, and nanoscale, and its study has had great significance according to the perspective of posing hazardous impacts on living organisms. Given the high demand for functional textiles, the textile industries are supporting the coating of different polymeric based finishes on the surface of textile products. The plastic debris emitted from these coated finishes are in the ranges of nanometric scale, so-called polymeric nanoplastics (PNPs). With the new terminology, polymeric nanoplastics (PNPs) released from textile finishes or coatings are being increasingly mentioned, and the term fibrous microplastics (FMPs) can be seen as outdated. This study is based on an intensive review of a very novel category of debris plastics (PNPs) mostly produced from textile finishes or coatings. In fact, FMPs and PNPs released from synthetic textiles and textiles coated with plastic-based finishes during washing activities are considered to be a major cause that contributes to the current overall load of microplastics (MPs) in the environment. A link between the concentration of NPs from textile fibers and NPs from textile polymeric-based coatings in freshwater and sediments within a particular local setting and the extent of activities of the textile industry has been demonstrated. Invested efforts have been paid to consider and concentrate on plastic pollution (nanoplastics from textile polymeric coatings). We also summarize existing methodologies to elucidate the identification and proactive quantification of nanoplastics shed from the textile polymeric coatings. To this end, more than 40 studies have been done to identify the physical, chemical, and mechanical parameters and to characterize nanoplastics.

PFAS emissions from functional textiles using micro-chamber and thermal desorption coupled to two-dimensional gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (TD-GC×GC-TOF MS)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in the polymeric form, have been used extensively in functional textiles, including firefighter's turnout gear (e.g., jackets and pants), where PFAS are applied to confer oil and water resistance. However, growing concerns over the persistence, potential toxicity, and environmental impact of PFAS have prompted a thorough assessment of potential exposure pathways. Here, we report the emission of PFAS from three firefighter turnout gear jackets at 38 °C. Volatile emissions from the three layers (outer layer, moisture barrier, and thermal liner) were collected onto sorbent tubes via dynamic headspace sampling using a micro-scale chamber device kept at 38 °C for one hour. The emission was characterized using thermal desorption (TD) coupled to two-dimensional gas chromatography - time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC–TOF MS). The enhanced separation capacity of GC×GC was essential due to the high number of compounds present in each sample, especially for the fabrics from used turnout gear jackets. Based on the filtering expressions, including two-dimensional retention time (1tr and 2tr) and PFAS diagnostic fragment ions (m/z 69, 95, and 131), fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and fluorotelomer acrylates were identified using standards and spectral matching with the NIST database. After conducting a non-targeted tile-based workflow, jackets (both used and unused) and layers were compared, resulting in the identification of the top 15 discriminating features from over 400 chromatographic peaks. Finally, preliminary FTOH emission experiments showed some usage and layers trends that are aligned with those reported using solvent extraction. Highest levels of FTOHs were found in the moisture barrier, followed by the outer layer and the thermal liner. Older jackets emitted higher levels of 8:2 FTOH and 10:2 FTOH than a newer jacket. In contrast, a newer jacket used for one year had emissions containing higher levels of 6:2 FTOH. Investigating routes of exposure and identifying new PFAS targets are critical steps in evaluating the environmental and health impacts of these persistent chemicals.

Development of antibacterial and hydrophobic PVDF@ZnO coating on cotton fabrics by electrospinning method

Products with antimicrobial properties enhance personal comfort and hygiene by preventing bacterial infections. In this work, we developed an antibacterial and hydrophobic coating by combining zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) through the electrospinning method, aiming for an enhanced cotton surface for textile applications. Initially, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized and integrated uniformly within the PVDF, characterized by various analytical techniques. This study highlights the coating's remarkable antibacterial activity, evidenced by a significant inhibition zone diameter of 18 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and its enhanced hydrophobicity, with a contact angle of 136°. Additionally, it was found that the Higuchi model could describe the diffusion release of ZnO from the PVDF coating. The obtained result allows us to conclude that applying the electrospinning method to fabric coatings opens new avenues in the design of functional textiles, particularly antibacterial ones, as proved in this paper.

Evolution of sustainable wearables: integrating cutting-edge techniques for future textile innovation

Purpose Sustainable textiles have become imperative in mitigating the adverse environmental and social impacts of the textile industry. This paper aims to synthesize recent advancements and key considerations in sustainable textile development, emphasizing their role in promoting environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic viability. Design/methodology/approach The literature search has been conducted by identifying and articulating the previous studies related to integrating the latest cutting-edge techniques with functional textiles. Findings Future-generation textiles (FGTs), which incorporate state-of-the-art developments in materials, technologies and functionalities, herald a paradigm-shifting period in the textile industry. FGTs mark a new era in this dynamic world by igniting conversations about their mechanisms, problems, progress to date and potential future applications. This investigation covers a wide range of topics, including wearable electronics, nanotechnology, 3D printing, recycling, machine learning and energy harvesting. Key components include sustainability, functionality, intelligent integration, advanced manufacturing processes and multifunctionality. The paper highlights the potential benefits of smart textiles, wearable technology, improved performance and sustainability through advances in customization and security. Originality/value It is an original review work. This paper will be helpful for manufacturers and researchers in the smart wearable textile sector in developing innovative techniques for multifunctional garments by integrating cutting-edge technology.

Microstructure induction of quaternary ammonium chitosan microcapsules based on magnetic field and study of their aroma release

Traditional pressure-sensitive microcapsules used in textiles face challenges of insufficient environmental friendliness in the production process and uncontrollable fragrance release. To address this issue, this study utilized quaternary ammonium chitosan and silica as wall materials to develop a magnetic aromatic microcapsule. The microstructure of the microcapsules was controlled by magnetic field induction, and its evolution pattern was investigated. After magnetic field induction, the microcapsules exhibited a trend of evolving from spherical to asymmetrical shapes, accompanied by significant changes in mechanical properties. Asymmetrical microcapsules showed higher adhesion and lower stiffness. When applied to cotton textiles, the cotton textiles treated with asymmetrical microcapsules released 63.40 % of lavender essential oil after 200 friction cycles, representing an 11.3 % improvement in release efficiency compared to regular microcapsules, indicating better mechanical stimulus responsiveness. Additionally, in antibacterial tests, aromatic cotton exhibited a 96.52 % inhibition ratio against Escherichia coli. In summary, this study explores methods to adjust the mechanical properties of microcapsules and the relationship between mechanical properties and microstructure, providing a new approach for functional textiles.

Preparation of mussel-inspired adhesion nanocapsules and their application on cotton fabrics

In this study, a hyperbranched polymer (HBP) with a hydrophobic backbone and hydrophilic adhesive catechol side chains was synthesized through the Michael addition reaction between multi-vinyl monomers with dopamine. Underwater adhesion experiments demonstrated that HBP had rapidly strong adhesion. Using HBP as the wall material and lavender essential oil (LO) as the core material, catechol-hyperbranched nanocapsules (CHNPs) with good adhesion and acidic responsive properties were prepared by solvent evaporation method. Subsequently, ACFs with good wash resistance were prepared by impregnation and further introduction of Fe3+. After 25 washing cycles, the retention rate of LO in CF treated solely with CHNPs solution (CHNPs@CF) was only 9.7 %, whereas the retention rate increased to 17.8 % for CHNPs@CF treated with FeCl3 solution (Fe3+/CHNPs@CF). The persistent adhesion of CHNPs on cotton fabrics (CF) is achieved by hydrogen bonding and Fe3+-catechol coordination bonding. These results confirm the significant potential of CHNPs in aromatic textile applications and it is expected to promote the diversified development of functional textiles.

Large-scale production of a “skin-like” self-pumping fabric for personal sweat management

Fabrics designed for personal sweat management, capable of efficiently transporting sweat away from the skin, are highly sought after for enhancing thermal comfort and conserving energy. However, the fabrication processes for these functional garments require intricate physical and chemical modifications, resulting in poor durability and limited suitability for mass production. In this study, a “skin-like” self-pumping fabric, consisting of hydrophobic polyester coils and hydrophilic microfiber polyester coils arranged on a bi-layer knitting fabric, is presented. This configuration allows for unidirectional wicking of sweat away from the skin. The accumulative one-way transport index increased to 717.18% when spandex filaments were introduced into the polyester fabric, which was greater than that of the pristine polyester fabric (393.71%). This exceptional property is achieved by creating differential capillary effects across a predominant combination of microfiber polyester and ordinary hydrophobic polyester. In addition to functional clothing, this “skin-like” self-pumping fabric has great potential for various applications, including industrial textiles, medical wound dressings, geotechnical engineering, and device diaphragms. Overall, this work presents an effective design to achieve large-scale manufacturing of personal sweat management fabrics, which is expected to guide material design for future innovations in functional textiles.