Textile Field Research Articles

Iridescent structural colors printing on cellulose fabrics with robust structural coloration

Structural coloration originating from colloidal particle assembly has drawn tremendous interest because of the brilliant dye-free colors in line with green and low-carbon development of the world. However, challenges like preparing structural colors with high saturation, durability, and time-efficiency in an unsmooth flexible surface such as fabrics are still remain. Here, a facile photopolymerization process is developed to construct high saturation and durable structural colors on cotton fabrics. The structural colors derive from the fast assembly of external magnetic field triggered Fe3O4@C particles. It is easy to regulate structural colors by adjusting magnetic particle sizes. In addition, by designing photo masks on transparent polyester films, the magnetic field induced assembly and photo polymerization strategy can conveniently print structural colored patterns on cotton fabric. This strategy may open a new gate in the textile printing field, as well as bring a new method by using fabrics to improve the mechanical properties of structural colors.

Optimization of ultrasonic welding parameters for better seam performance

PurposeUltrasonic welding is an emerging apparel manufacturing technique. However, the applications are widely explored in the field of technical textiles, with less exploration in the apparel endues. The purpose of this study is to explore the application of ultrasonic welding in apparel by analyzing the impacts of different parameters.Design/methodology/approachThis study analyzed the influence of ultrasonic welding parameters, including pressure, welding speed and ultrasonic power on the seam performances (seam strength, seam bursting strength, seam thickness and seam stiffness). The parameters are optimized using Box–Behnken experimental design to achieve better seam performances.FindingsThe properties of ultrasonic seams are influenced by welding and fabric properties. Ultrasonically welded seams showed better performances in the case of comfort properties of seams, whereas the functional properties are lesser compared to conventional seams.Originality/valueThe findings of the research clearly outline the level of influence of different parameters on the performance of the ultrasonically welded seams in knitted fabrics, which can greatly help in applying ultrasonic welding manufacturing methods in apparel manufacturing.

Magnetic-field induced asymmetric hydrogel fibers for tough actuators with programmable deformation

Ingenious design of soft actuators with high mechanical performance, rapid actuation, and programmable deformation is necessary for their practical applications in the fields of artificial muscles, smart textiles, and soft robotics. Here we used a facile magnetic-field induction strategy to fabricate programmable actuators composed of tough hydrogel fibers. The anisotropic hydrogel fibers that consisted of dual physically cross-linked networks showed high tensile strength (28.9 MPa), while the asymmetric distribution of magnetic nanoparticles in hydrogel networks endowed the actuators with rapid bending velocity (3.2°·min−1·mm−1) in response to solvents. The pick-and-place manipulation of objects from ethanol to water were demonstrated by using the soft grippers composed of asymmetric hydrogel fibers. Furthermore, smart curtains that were woven by hydrogel fibers automatically rolled up or spread out in response to the change of ambient humidity. This work proved that tough hydrogel fibers fabricated by our magnetic-field induction strategy provided more possibilities in the field of soft actuators.

Green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles using Carica papaya and their antimicrobial activity

In the field of nanotechnology, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are regarded as one of the most significant transition metal oxides due to their fascinating properties. Various methods such as the sol–gel method, chemical vapour deposition, spray pyrolysis, etc are available for the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles. Among these, the eco-friendly green synthesis method was used to prepare copper oxide nanoparticles. Green synthesis is the process of preparing nanoparticles using plant materials, microorganisms and various biowastes. However, this method aids an eco-friendly, simple and cost-efficient method to synthesise nanoparticles. Owing to their antimicrobial properties, CuO NPs are widely used in the field of medical textiles. The current study proposes a method for environmentally acceptable CuO nanoparticle synthesis employing a non-toxic, eco-friendly Carica Papayaleaf extract. The component of Papain present in the Carica papaya leaves is responsible for the greater antimicrobial activity. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) studies reveal the crystalline nature of the CuO NPs. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrum confirms the presence of copper bonds. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image shows that the synthesized NPs are spherical in shape and agglomerated due to the absence of a capping agent. Antimicrobial activity was tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.Prepared CuO NPs nanoparticle coated on medical fabrics like gauze, facemask and gloves test for their zone of inhibition on three significant materials. It was found that the E. coli bacterium shows an increased rate of inhibition and provides better antimicrobial activity than S. aureus.

Design and construction of poly (L-lactic-acid) nanofibrous yarns and threads with controllable structure and performances

The design and development of electrospun nanofibrous yarns (ENYs) have attracted intensive attentions in the fields of biomedical textiles and tissue engineering, but the inferior fiber arrangement structure, low yarn eveness, and poor tensile properties of currently-obtained ENYs has been troubled for a long time. In this study, a series of innovative strategies which combined a modified electrospinning method with some traditional textile processes like hot stretching, twisting, and plying, were designed and implemented to generate poly (L-lactic-acid) (PLLA) ENYs with adjustable morphology, structure, and tensile properties. PLLA ENYs made from bead-free and uniform PLLA nanofibers were fabricated by our modified electrospinning method, but the as-spun PLLA ENYs exhibited relatively lower fiber alignment degree and tensile properties. A hot stretching technique was explored to process the primary PLLA ENYs to improve the fiber alignment and crystallinity, resulting in a 779.7% increasement for ultimate stress and a 470.4% enhancement for Young's modulus, respectively. Then, the twisting post-treatment was applied to process as-stretched PLLA ENYs, and the tensile performances of as-twisted ENYs was found to present a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increasing of twisting degree. Finally, the PLLA threads made from different numbers of as-stretched PLLA ENYs were also manufactured with a traditional plying process, demonstrating the feasibility of further improving the yarn diameter and tensile properties. In all, this study reported a simple and cost-effective technique roadmap which could generate high performance PLLA nanofiber-constructed yarns or threads with controllable structures like highly aligned fiber orientation, twisted structure, and plied structure.

Retracted: Application of Digital Image Processing Technology in Textile and Garment Field

Retracted: Application of Digital Image Processing Technology in Textile and Garment Field

On generalized Bödewadt flow of TiO2/water nanofluid over a permeable surface with temperature jump

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterial has numerous applications in the fields of cosmetics, medicines, coatings, inks, plastics, food, and textiles. Therefore, the problem of heat and mass transport on Bödewadt flow of TiO2/water nanofluid over a rotating disk subjected to wall suction is studied. The impact of chemical reaction with partial slip and temperature jump conditions are also considered. For the numerical solution to the problem, the similarity variables are added to transform the three-dimensional flow equations into a favorable set of ordinary differential equations. The impacts of shear stresses, rates of heat and mass transport, and cooling efficiency of nanofluid on the flow are investigated by employing a bvp4c routine in Matlab software. Additionally, the plots for two-dimensional streamlines are presented to visualize the impact of slip velocity and rotation. Through asymptotic analysis, it is found that the presence of similarity solutions for nanofluid over the disk can occur only if the disk is driven to a significant amount of suction. The skin friction factor grows by enhancing the nanoparticle volume fraction [Formula: see text] with a slight reduction in heat and mass transport rates. The fluid temperature is reduced by augmenting [Formula: see text] providing the cooling efficiency of TiO2. The fluid concentration falls significantly when a chemical reaction occurs at a faster rate.

Rock-climbing apparel: an analysis of current clothing options and future strategies for the design of rock-climbing clothing

ABSTRACT This paper identifies and analyses current clothing options available to rock climbers in New Zealand, drawing from data collected via a survey of experienced climbers, relevant literature and a detailed design analysis of garments that are currently on the market. The study considers some of the limitations of current rock-climbing clothing and identifies issues that need to be taken into account to design more practical, responsive, sustainable clothing options for climbers. Drawing on professional design expertise in patternmaking, material selection and garment construction, this analysis is used to inform the development of more appropriate and innovative garment design strategies for rock-climbing. It also recognises the potential for novel development by employing innovations from the field of advanced textiles and apparel, in particular the integration of smart sensing technologies into garments.

Arctic Wool

This research presents the work of two women, a crafter and a farmer, and considers connections between people working with textiles, sustainable processes, local economy, traditional knowledge, and roles within the craft sector in the Finnish Arctic and Circumpolar region. Two qualitative interviews were conducted in Finland: one with a textile-dyeing artisan using sustainable processes and another with a farmer and yarn crafter. Crafters and farmers preserve heritage skills in the textile field, valuable to the continuation of traditional knowledge. Their network has an environmental impact on the craft sector, helping to preserve endemic breeds of sheep.

Systematic Evaluation of Research Progress in the Textile Field over the Past 10 Years: Bibliometric Study on Smart Textiles and Clothing

Intelligent textile clothing is one of the most popular topics in the field. In recent decades, rapid advances have been made in the area of intelligent textile clothing research, and the intellectual structure pertaining to this domain has significantly evolved. We used CiteSpace 6.2.R4, VOSviewer 1.6.19, to evaluate and visualize the results, analyzing articles, countries, regions, institutions, authors, journals, citations, and keywords. Both a macroscopic sketch and a microscopic characterization of the entire knowledge domain were realized. The aim of this paper is to utilize bibliometric and knowledge mapping theories to identify relevant research papers on the subject of smart textiles and clothing that have been published by the China Knowledge Network Web of Science (WOS) within the last decade. It is concluded that the main topics of smart textile and garment research can be divided into nine categories: wearable electronics, smart textiles, flexible antennas, energy storage, textile actuators, mechanical properties, asymmetric supercapacitors, carbon nanotubes, and fiber extrusion. In addition to the latter analysis, emerging trends and future research foci were predicted. This review will help scientists discern the dynamic evolution of intelligent textile clothing research as well as highlight areas for future research.

Smart Textiles: A Review and Bibliometric Mapping

According to ISO/TR 23383, smart textiles reversibly interact with their environment and respond or adapt to changes in the environment. The present review and bibliometric analysis was performed on 5810 documents (1989–2022) from the Scopus database, using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny for science mapping. The results show that the field of smart textiles is highly interdisciplinary and dynamic, with an average growth rate of 22% and exponential growth in the last 10 years. Beeby, S.P., and Torah, R.N. have published the highest number of papers, while Wang, Z.L. has the highest number of citations. The leading journals are Sensors, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, and Textile Research Journal, while Advanced Materials has the highest number of citations. China is the country with the most publications and the most extensive cooperative relationships with other countries. Research on smart textiles is largely concerned with new materials and technologies, particularly in relation to electronic textiles. Recent research focuses on energy generation (triboelectric nanogenerators, thermoelectrics, Joule heating), conductive materials (MXenes, liquid metal, silver nanoparticles), sensors (strain sensors, self-powered sensors, gait analysis), speciality products (artificial muscles, soft robotics, EMI shielding), and advanced properties of smart textiles (self-powered, self-cleaning, washable, sustainable smart textiles).

Aggregation behavior and dispersion stability of amphiphilic water-dispersed polyesters in aqueous solution

Amphiphilic polymer water-dispersed polyester (WPET) has important applications in the textile field. Due to the potential interactions among WPET molecules, the stability of their colloids is susceptible to external factors. This study focused on the effects of two hydrophilic groups (sulfonate group and PEG) on the aggregation behavior of WPET. In addition, the effects of concentration, temperature, and electrolytes on WPET aggregation behavior were systematically investigated. The more sulfonate group content in WPET, the higher stability with or without high electrolyte concentration it has. However, there is no clear correlation between the effect of PEG content and the dispersion stability of the WPET solution. The sulfonate group content in WPET is an important factor affecting its dispersion in aqueous solution. Meanwhile, WPET concentration, temperature, and electrolyte play important and complex roles in controlling the aggregation behaviors of the WPET. This fundamental research can be used to effectively control and improve the stability of WPET solutions and provide guidance for the prediction of dispersion and stability for molecules not yet synthesized.

Durably and intrinsically antibacterial polyamide 6 (PA6) via backbone end-capping with high temperature-resistant imidazolium

The antibacterial polyamide 6 (PA6) material has attracted great research interest due to its wide application in food packaging, biomedical fields, functional textiles, and other fields. However, it is still a challenge to prepare intrinsically antibacterial PA6 with highly efficient and durably antibacterial activity via polymerization. Herein, the antibacterial imidazolium ionic liquid of 3-carboxymethyl-1-decyl imidazole chloride was designed and synthesized for adapting the polymerization and processing temperature of PA6. Then antibacterial PA6 (PA6-IL) was synthesized through hydrolyzed ring-opening copolymerization with imidazolium at the end of the backbones. Compared to physical blending or post-modification methods, antibacterial agents as end-capping reagents of polymer backbones endowed PA6 with intrinsic antibacterial activity. As expected, the obtained PA6-IL exhibited not just comparable physicochemical and mechanical properties to conventional PA6 but excellent antibacterial activity of low antibacterial time to 60 min and durability for 28 days. Additionally, the corresponding electrospun PA6-IL nanofibrous membranes showed homogenous morphology and remarkable hydrophilicity of 7.7° as well as the high-efficient antibacterial activity. Melt-spun PA6-IL microfibers revealed a smooth surface as well as enhanced tensile strength and increased breaking elongation compared to those of conventional PA6. The PA6-IL microfibers also behaved with excellent antibacterial efficiency and durability. Accordingly, this work provides a feasible and straightforward strategy to prepare durably and intrinsically antibacterial PA6 materials especially PA6 fibers, which can be widely applied in the textiles field.

Toward a sustainable transition in automated production: enabling the vision-based approach and synchronous control for textile surface inspection systems

The textile and apparel industry is one of the largest industries in the world, with significant environmental and social impacts, such as manual labor in poor working conditions and resource depletion and environmental degradation due to ineffective production. As a result, there is an increasing need for sustainable practices and a transition toward a more circular and responsible industry. In this paper, we introduce the proposed approach in the context of a sustainable transition for the industrial textiles. Instead of human labor, the automated solution to detect defects is proposed for the 4.0 revolution in general and the textile industry in particular. Specifically, the mechanical design of a three-dimensional model for small- and medium-sized fabric rolls is portrayed. Some computational mechanics are created to ensure a stable mechanism and proper actuators. For acquiring accurate data and measuring the machine state, several installations, that is, a digital camera, load cell, and positioning sensor, and the layout of the light source are improved to intensify the image quality. The control theme, such as the cross-coupling controller, offers superior performance in synchronization and vibration-less motion. Lastly, the excellent detection method is provided by the convolutional neural network scheme for offline training to distinguish defects on products. Instead of a manual check or low rate of defect detection on products, the contributions of this research are as follows: (a) analyzing the mechanical design of the textile machining system in terms of dynamic characteristics; (b) implementing a smooth scheme based on motion control synchronization; and (c) integrating various strategies, including vision-based computation and control topology, to demonstrate superior performance. These results highlight that our approach can be widely adapted to address sustainability challenges not only in the textile field but also in global manufacturing practices.

Combining Chitosan, Stearic Acid, and (Cu-, Zn-) MOFs to Prepare Robust Superhydrophobic Coatings with Biomedical Multifunctionalities.

There is an urgent need to develop a series of multifunctional materials with good biocompatibility, high mechanical strength, hemostatic properties, antiadhesion, and anti-infection for applications in wound care. However, successfully developing multifunctional materials is challenging. In this study, two superhydrophobic composite coatings with good biocompatibility, high mechanical strength, strong antifouling and blood repellency, fast hemostasis, and good antibacterial activity areprepared on cotton fabric surface by simple, green, and low-cost one-step dip-coating technology. The results discussed in the manuscript reveals that the two superhydrophobic composite coatings can maintain good mechanical stability, strong water repellency, and durability under various types of mechanical damage, high-temperature treatment, and long-term strong light irradiation. The coatings also exhibit good repellency to various solid pollutants, highly viscous liquid pollutants, and blood. In vitro and in vivo hemostatic experiments show that both composite coatings havegood hemostatic and anticlot adhesion properties. More importantly, this superhydrophobic coating prevents bacterial adhesion and growth and released Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions and chitosan to achieve bactericidal properties, thereby protecting injured skin from bacterial infection. The two superhydrophobic coatings enhance the antifouling, antiadhesion, hemostatic, and antibacterial functions of blood-repellent dressings and therefore have broad application prospects in medical and textile fields.

HT process for treatment of PET fabrics with chitosan containing recipes

Polyester is the leading man-made fiber in the field of textiles and clothing. Polyester is usually dyed and finished using a process temperature in the range of 120 to 135 ºC. Such a process is known as a high-temperature (HT) process. The application of chitosan on cellulosic materials is an interesting approach to textile functionalization. In contrast, the application of chitosan by the HT process for the functional treatment of polyester is less investigated. With this background, the present study is related to the surface characteristics of different polyester fabrics with implemented chitosan after performing the HT process.

HT process for treatment of PET fabrics with chitosan containing recipes

Polyester is the leading man-made fiber in the field of textiles and clothing. Polyester is usually dyed and finished using a process temperature in the range of 120 to 135 ºC. Such a process is known as a high-temperature (HT) process. The application of chitosan on cellulosic materials is an interesting approach to textile functionalization. In contrast, the application of chitosan by the HT process for the functional treatment of polyester is less investigated. With this background, the present study is related to the surface characteristics of different polyester fabrics with implemented chitosan after performing the HT process.

Design and development of jeans textile antenna for wireless broadband applications

This paper proposes a design of a compact jeans textile wearable antenna with miniaturized structure. This textile antenna is designed for wireless broadband applications. This antenna is resonating at 3.4 GHz. This antenna is designed using FR-4, Jeans and Denim as a substrate. The shaft shape is mounted on three different substrates (FR4, denim, and jeans), and the antenna is designed, simulated, and the parameters are analyzed. In the proposed design, textile material (Jeans, Denim) is used as a substrate and copper is used to make ground & patch. The textile material is used because it is wearable, washable, very economical, and flexible. The simulated antenna parameters like bandwidth, return loss, radiation pattern, gain and efficiency are presented. The overall size of the antenna is 30 × 30 mm2. Due to its small size, the proposed antenna may have practical applications in the smart wearable textile fields.

Multicolor-tunable biomass thermochromic dyes utilizing tea polyphenols color developer for temperature-controlled linen fabric

Linen, an important industrial crop, is commonly used in the textile field. The development of temperature-controlled linen fabrics is important for the high-value utilization of cellulose-based industrial products. The linen fabrics with color and performance changes controlled by temperature are prepared via the vacuum impregnation process utilizing biomass three-component thermochromic dyes. Currently, three-component thermochromic dyes based on the bisphenol A (BPA) color developer have received special attention due to high saturation color and reversible color-changing performance. However, the toxicity and carcinogenicity of BPA limit its applications in security inks, decorative coatings, plastics, etc. Exploiting excellent and safe biomass color developers for three-component thermochromic dyes remains a challenge. Tea polyphenols (TP) are proposed as alternatives to BPA to prepare the blue, red, yellow, and green three-component thermochromic dyes. According to the laws of subtractive color mixing, multicolor-tunable thermochromic dyes are obtained by color matching of red, yellow, and blue dyes to span multiple shades. Biomass thermochromic dyes are adopted to fabricate temperature-controlled linen fabrics by the vacuum impregnation process. Temperature-controlled linen fabrics can change color reversibly between the original color and achromatic color. The color-changing occurs due to the ring opening and closing of leuco dyes triggered by the solid-to-liquid transition of solvent. The phase transition temperature of the thermochromic dyes absorbed on the linen fabric is 46 ℃. As the temperature increases, the contact angle of temperature-controlled linen fabrics decreases from 129° to 29°, resulting in a change from hydrophobic to hydrophilic with 49 J g−1 of thermal energy stored. The linen fabrics exhibit temperature-controlled changes in color, surface wettability, strength, and thermal insulation. This eco-friendly method with biomass thermochromic dyes for the preparation of color-changing linen fabrics provides a new approach, which is contributing to the development of cellulose-based smart color-changing textiles.

Six-Sigma Reference Model for Industry 4.0 Implementations in Textile SMEs

The textile and apparel industry is a major contributor to Latin American economies. However, in these economies the industry is characterized by limited technological infrastructure, which has led to inefficient performance and the significant generation of water, material, and product waste through its supply chain (SC). Currently, Industry 4.0 has led to important benefits in manufacturing industries, but its application in the textile field has been limited to few case studies. The present work expands on this aspect with a critical review of Industry 4.0 concepts and principles, and our main contribution consists of an implementation guideline model. The model was based on Six Sigma and the Rothwell and Zegveld model for continuous improvement and innovation projects in manufacturing and business enterprises. In each step, key aspects such as the specific skills of the interdisciplinary team, assessment tools, and implementation/prototyping tools are highlighted. A discussion of a case study is presented to support the applicability of the model for Industry 4.0 pilot projects.