Wearable Textiles Research Articles

Responsive aerogels of ultra-light flexibility and Fouling-Resistant characteristics to safeguarding X-ray exposure

The extensive application of X-rays has catalyzed a significant increase in the demand for secure work attire and safeguarding fabric materials. Nonetheless, the current Pb-infused materials employed for X-ray protection are generally hefty, rigid, and biohazardous, which substantially restrict their utilization in wearable contexts. In this work, a series of sustainable, ultralight, highly elastic and harmless X-ray protection aerogel is demonstrated and structured as a fusion of bacterial cellulose/Bi2O3 nanoparticles and Gd2O3 nanosheets. The cooperative shielding effect against X-rays, resulting from multilevel scattering and absorption by Bi/Gd elements, substantially boosts the protective efficiency of aerogels. Moreover, the polymorphic nanoparticles and robust nanofibrous networks provide these aerogels with exceptional flexibility. The as-designed aerogels exhibit integrated properties of superior mass attenuation coefficient (6.1 cm2 g−1), ultralow density (11.07 mg cm−3), good compression resilience, and low pressure drop (0.2 kPa at 3.0 cm s−1). The rational-designing of such innovative aerogels opens up pathways for the development of future effective and wearable materials for X-ray protection.

Advances in Directional Liquid Transport Textiles: Mechanism, Construction, and Applications

AbstractThe seamless integration of emerging directional liquid transport (DLT) technology with traditional textile materials has ushered in the next‐generation multifunctional textiles, i.e., DLT textiles, which will play a vital role in areas such as wearable smart materials and ecological environmental protection. To further promote the combination of DLT technology and textile technology, a concise overview of the research progress in DLT textiles, including the basic transport mechanisms, various preparation strategies and diversified applications of DLT textiles is provided. In this review, the theoretical mechanisms of directional transport from the perspective of wetting and wicking is discussed. Besides, the preparation strategies of DLT textiles, and categorized them into three categories is summarized: fiber‐based DLT textiles, fabric‐based DLT textiles, and fiber/fabric hybrid‐based textiles. Subsequently, the current and potential applications of DLT textiles are classified and discussed, mainly focusing on functional clothing, oil‐water separation, fog collection, distillation, sensors, biomedicine, and so on. Finally, the challenges and prospects of DLT textile research to enhance the functionality and application performance is outlined.

Enhanced Stability-Based Hydroxymethyl Cellulose/Polyacrylamide Interpenetrating Dual Network Hydrogel Electrolyte for Flexible Yarn Zinc-Ion Batteries

As the field of wearable electronics continues to boom, the demand for flexible energy storage devices continues to grow. However, the development of soft energy supply devices with excellent stability is still a challenging task. Traditional hydrogel electrolytes are prone to mechanical deformation, which makes it difficult to maintain the functional stability of flexible yarn due to its short battery life and low wear resistance. Here, we developed a reversible energy-dissipating dual-network hydrogel electrolyte. The hydroxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel electrolyte has a tensile deformation of 2700% and a high ionic conductivity of 6.37 × 10−2 S cm−1. The specific capacity of the assembled CMC/PAM-based yarn cell was 170 μAh cm−1 at 1 mA cm−1 and 73.14% after 100 cycles. The excellent performance is attributed to the crosslinked double network structure, in which the introduction of carboxyl groups is conducive to the improvement of hydrophilicity and ionic conductivity. The hydrogen bond and reversible CMC macromolecular chain can be restored after stress relief, which greatly improves the toughness of the material. Even under different bending angles and repeated bending conditions, zinc yarn batteries still have outstanding mechanical properties and cycle stability (71.28% specific capacity after 100 cycles), showing broad application prospects in wearable smart textiles.

Wearable Ultrasound Devices, Materials, and Applications

Wearable Ultrasound Devices, Materials, and Applications

Knitting Elastic Conductive Fibers of MXene/Natural Rubber for Multifunctional Wearable Sensors.

Wearable electronic sensors have recently attracted tremendous attention in applications such as personal health monitoring, human movement detection, and sensory skins as they offer a promising alternative to counterparts made from traditional metallic conductors and bulky metallic conductors. However, the real-world use of most wearable sensors is often hindered by their limited stretchability and sensitivity, and ultimately, their difficulty to integrate into textiles. To overcome these limitations, wearable sensors can incorporate flexible conductive fibers as electrically active components. In this study, we adopt a scalable wet-spinning approach to directly produce flexible and conductive fibers from aqueous mixtures of Ti3C2Tx MXene and natural rubber (NR). The electrical conductivity and stretchability of these fibers were tuned by varying their MXene loading, enabling knittability into textiles for wearable sensors. As individual filaments, these MXene/NR fibers exhibit suitable conductivity dependence on strain variations, making them ideal for motivating sensors. Meanwhile, textiles from knitted MXene/NR fibers demonstrate great stability as capacitive touch sensors. Collectively, we believe that these elastic and conductive MXene/NR-based fibers and textiles are promising candidates for wearable sensors and smart textiles.

Lightweight, breathable and self-cleaning polypyrrole-modified multifunctional cotton fabric for flexible electromagnetic interference shielding

The thriving of wearable electronics and the emerging new requirements for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding have driven the innovation of EMI shielding materials towards lightweight, wearability and multifunctionality. Herein, the hierarchical polypyrrole nanotubes (PNTs)/PDMS structures are rationally constructed on the textile for obtaining multifunctional and flexible EMI shielding textiles by in-situ polymerization and surface coating. The modified cotton fabric possesses a conductivity of about 2715.8 S/m and an SET of 28.2 dB in the X band when the thickness is only 0.5 mm. After ultrasonic treatment, cyclic bending and washing, the conductivity and EMI shielding performance remain stable and exhibit long-term durability. Importantly, the textile's inherent lightweight, breathable and soft properties have been completely retained after modification. This work shows application potentiality in the field of EMI pollution protection and affords a novel path for the construction of multifunctionally wearable and durable EMI shielding materials.

Latent heat type nanofluid based on MXene and MoS2 modified hierarchical structured phase change nanocapsules for sustainable and efficient light-heat conversion

Recently, solar energy has garnered widespread attention due to its clean, pollution-free, and renewable characteristics. Among them, latent heat nanofluids (LHNF) are extensively employed in direct absorption solar collectors (DASC) because of their high heat storage density and efficient heat transfer efficiency. In this study, a novel LHNF was prepared through electrostatic interaction between phase change nanocapsules modified with MXene-MoS2 (hereafter named “n-22@SiO2-Ti3C2Tx-MoS2 MEPCN”) and ionic liquid, aiming at sustainable light-heat conversion. Phase change nanocapsules are obtained by encapsulating docosane (n-22) within an inorganic SiO2 shell and modifying it with Ti3C2Tx and MoS2 to improve the absorption of solar energy across the full spectrum. Research indicates that LHNF possesses high thermal stability, low viscosity, and high thermal conductivity. Furthermore, LHNF contains 4 % n-22@SiO2-Ti3C2Tx-MoS2 can achieve full spectral absorption at an optical path length of 0.005 m. The equilibrium temperature of LHNF-10 % under 1 Sun irradiation can reach 76.3 °C, with a light-heat conversion efficiency of 85.62 %. Its energy storage performance remains relatively stable under cycling conditions. In addition, the water evaporation rate of the fiber fabric coated with LHNF-10 % increased by 94.42 % compared to the untreated fabric, and this increase persisted even after sunlight was turned off. Its outstanding light-heat conversion performance is anticipated to confer application advantage in intermittent solar energy utilization, wearable fabrics, and biomedical materials.

Preparation and properties of electromagnetic shielding leather based on magnetic MgFeCr-LDHs

Leather, as a kind of renewable biomass, is naturally rich in dipoles as well as excellent 3D fiber structure, which provides the possibility for its application in electromagnetic shielding field. This study combined the utilization of chromium-containing wastewater with the intelligent development of leather. Nano zero-valent iron (NZVI) was innovatively used to prepare magnetic Mg/Fe/Cr layered double hydroxide (MgFeCr-LDHs) by co-precipitation method while treating chromium wastewater. And magnetic MgFeCr-LDHs was used for tanning leather, which prepared electromagnetic shield leather (MgFeCr-LDHs/L). Fe3+ and Cr3+ in MgFeCr-LDHs were closely bonded with the active groups on collagen fibers by chemical bonding, which give leather hygrothermal stability. The shrinkage temperature of MgFeCr-LDHs/L reached 89.1°C. Electromagnetic shielding efficiency of magnetic MgFeCr-LDHs/L reached 25 dB due to MgFeCr-LDHs had better dielectric and magnetic losses to electromagnetic waves. Magnetic MgFeCr-LDHs/L also had good softness and mechanical properties. In summary, we expect magnetic MgFeCr-LDHs/L to be used as a wearable material in the field of electromagnetic shielding.

Textile‐based triboelectric nanogenerators integrated with 2D materials

AbstractThe human body continuously generates ambient mechanical energy through diverse movements, such as walking and cycling, which can be harvested via various renewable energy harvesting mechanisms. Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) stands out as one of the most promising emerging renewable energy harvesting technologies for wearable applications due to its ability to harness various forms of mechanical energies, including vibrations, pressure, and rotations, and convert them into electricity. However, their application is limited due to challenges in achieving performance, flexibility, low power consumption, and durability. Here, we present a robust and high‐performance self‐powered system integrated into cotton fabric by incorporating a textile‐based triboelectric nanogenerator (T‐TENG) based on 2D materials, addressing both energy harvesting and storage. The proposed system extracts significant ambient mechanical energy from human body movements and stores it in a textile supercapacitor (T‐Supercap). The integration of 2D materials (graphene and MoS2) in fabrication enhances the performance of T‐TENG significantly, as demonstrated by a record‐high open‐circuit voltage of 1068 V and a power density of 14.64 W/m2 under a force of 22 N. The developed T‐TENG in this study effectively powers 200+ LEDs and a miniature watch while also charging the T‐Supercap with 4‐5 N force for efficient miniature electronics operation. Integrated as a step counter within a sock, the T‐TENG serves as a self‐powered step counter sensor. This work establishes a promising platform for wearable electronic textiles, contributing significantly to the advancement of sustainable and autonomous self‐powered wearable technologies.image

One stone for four birds: Multifunctional MXene-coated PET fabric with favorable photothermal, antibacterial, flame retardant, and EMI shielding properties

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) woven fabrics are gradually becoming the main substrate for breathable multifunctional wearable electronic textiles owing to their lightweight, high strength, good chemical resistance, and low cost. The coating process of MXene was modeled and optimized by the response surface methodology (RSM). Simultaneous effects of cycles and time on the performance of MXene-coated PET fabric were studied. Noticeably, the optimized flexible, breathable, and washable PET heater with the RSM approach exhibited exceptional multifunctional performances with a low loading amount and maintained its inherent properties. The lightweight wearable heater demonstrated superior electrical conductivity and excellent photothermal properties with a wide temperature range. Furthermore, the excellent relative electromagnetic shielding (up to 59.5 dB/mm in X-band) and antibacterial activity of the multifunctional heater against Escherichia coli (E. Coli) within a short time of 20 min reached over 98% without the addition of disinfecting agents. More significantly, MXene created the flame retardancy of PET fabrics and anti-dripping performance, representing safety in service. These multifunctional wearable MXene-based heaters are outstanding candidates for heating management and health protection in the future with high sensitivity, fast response, easy processability, and suitable durability.

Spectrally engineered textile for radiative cooling against urban heat islands.

Radiative cooling textiles hold promise for achieving personal thermal comfort under increasing global temperature. However, urban areas have heat island effects that largely diminish the effectiveness of cooling textiles as wearable fabrics because they absorb emitted radiation from the ground and nearby buildings. We developed a mid-infrared spectrally selective hierarchical fabric (SSHF) with emissivity greatly dominant in the atmospheric transmission window through molecular design, minimizing the net heat gain from the surroundings. The SSHF features a high solar spectrum reflectivity of 0.97 owing to strong Mie scattering from the nano-micro hybrid fibrous structure. The SSHF is 2.3°C cooler than a solar-reflecting broadband emitter when placed vertically in simulated outdoor urban scenarios during the day and also has excellent wearable properties.

In situ alkali‐free growth of octahedral Ag2O nanoparticles by bacterial cellulose for efficient antibacterial application

AbstractUniform octahedral Ag2O nanoparticles were in situ synthesized within natural bacterial cellulose (BC) films without any inorganic alkali. The morphological transformation of Ag2O from nanoparticles and small nanoplates to an octahedral structure was well controlled by varying the UV exposure time. To reduce and anchor Ag2O nanoparticles, abundant hydroxyl groups on the surface of natural BC fibers ensured an ideal environment for the mild redox reaction between Ag+ and –OH groups. The structural features and structure–activity relationship of Ag2O/BC films were confirmed through TEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy assisted SEM analysis, Fourier transform IR, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, TGA and XRD. The structure–antibacterial activity relationship of the Ag2O/BC films was proved against both Gram‐positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram‐negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. They also showed excellent performance in the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. Ag2O/BC films have potential bactericidal applications in the field of pharmacy, specifically for wound dressing and flexible wearable materials. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

3D Printed Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Polydimethylsiloxane Flexible Sensors for Tactile Sensing

Technology is constantly evolving, and chronic health issues are on the rise. It is essential to have affordable and easy access to remote biomedical measurements. This makes flexible sensors a more attractive choice owing to their high sensitivity and flexibility along with low cost and ease of use. As an additional advantage, 3D printing has become increasingly popular in areas such as biomedicine, environment, and industry. This study demonstrates 3D-printed flexible sensors for tactile sensing. A biocompatible silicone elastomer such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with low elastic modulus and high stretchability makes an excellent wearable sensor material. Incorporating CNTs at varying concentrations (0.5, 1, 2)wt% enhances the sensor’s mechanical strength, conductivity, and responsiveness to mechanical strain. In addition to enhancing the thermal stability of the composite by 44%, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) also enhanced the breaking strength by 57% with a 2 wt% CNT loading. Moreover, the contact angle values improved by 15%, making it a biomedical-grade hydrophobic surface. The electrical characteristics of these sensors reveal excellent strain sensitivity, making them perfect for monitoring finger movements and biomedical measurements. Overall, 2 wt% CNT-PDMS sensors exhibit optimal performance, paving the way for advanced tactile sensing in biomedical and industrial settings.

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.

Multifunction integration within magnetic CNT-bridged MXene/CoNi based phase change materials

Developing advanced nanocomposite phase change materials (PCMs) integrating zero-energy thermal management, microwave absorption, photothermal therapy and electrical signal detection can promote the leapfrog development of flexible wearable electronic devices. For this goal, we propose a multidimensional collaborative strategy combining two-dimensional (2D) MXene nanosheets with metal-organic framework-derived one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and zero-dimensional (0D) metal nanoparticles. After encapsulating paraffin wax (PW) in three-dimensional (3D) networked multidimensional MXene/CoNi–C, the resulting composite PCMs exhibit excellent thermal energy storage capacity and long-term thermally reliable stability. Benefiting from the synergistically enhanced photothermal effects of CNTs, Co/Ni nanoparticles and MXene, PW@MXene/CoNi–C can capture photons efficiently and transfer phonons quickly, yielding an ultrahigh photothermal conversion and storage efficiency of 97.5%. Additionally, PW@MXene/CoNi–C composite PCMs exhibit high microwave absorption with a minimum reflection loss of −49.3 ​dB at 8.03 ​GHz in heat-related electronic application scenarios. More attractively, the corresponding flexible phase change film can simultaneously achieve thermal management and electromagnetic shielding of electronic devices, as well as photothermal therapy and electrical signal detection for individuals. This functional integration design provides an important reference for developing advanced flexible multifunctional wearable materials and devices.

Recent Advances of Soft Actuators in Smart Wearable Electronic‐Textile

AbstractSmart wearable electronic textiles integrate sensing, perception, and control modules, which enhance human adaptability to environmental stimuli and concurrently serve as extensions for limb capabilities. The flexible and programmable nature of soft actuators makes them an indispensable part of smart wearable electronic textiles. These textiles seamlessly combine various components, such as sensors and actuators, through a comprehensive integration of materials manufacturing, circuit control, and transmission design. Exciting applications in various fields such as healthcare, sports, the Internet of Things, and human‐machine interaction have been demonstrated globally. However, there is still a persistent challenge in enhancing the actuation capabilities of soft actuators while maintaining their wearability. A timely and comprehensive review of the progress of this field is provided. Several main aspects are covered: functional materials, stimulus mechanisms, performance improvement strategies, and wearable applications in human‐related areas. Furthermore, the major approaches and challenges for improving the performance of actuators are systematically summarized.

Dual-drive energy conversion plasmonic Ag@MXene thermal management textiles inspired by bearing structure

Multifunctional wearable textiles can simulate human perception and convert it into visual data, which has advanced application prospects. As an important branch, thermal management wearable textiles have been widely concerned in the aspects of thermal insulation, flame retardant, photothermal anti-icing, electrothermal deicing and even water evaporation. Here, inspired by the bearing structure, we simply soaked the PET textile in Ag@MXene hybrid solution several times to form a Ag@MXene conductive network with Ag NPs as the connection point on the textile fiber, and finally carry out hydrophobic modification. Based on plasma effect, the synergistic action of Ag NPs and MXene enhances the photothermal response of the material. In addition, the addition of Ag NPs effectively reduces the stacking between MXene layers and forms a Ag@MXene conductive network with Ag NPs as the connection point on the textile fibers. The stable temperature range of PDMS/Ag@MXene PET textile is 70–80 °C under one solar illumination intensity, and the stable temperature of PDMS/Ag@MXene PET textile can reach 117 °C at a constant voltage of 3 V. Based on the excellent thermal effect, this textile achieves photothermal anti-icing, electric thermal de-icing, keeping warm and removing sweat. The textile has a water evaporation efficiency of about 0.58 g h−1, which can achieve excellent anti-sweat function. Finally, the textile also achieved rapid flame retardant within 7 s. PDMS/Ag@MXene PET textile processes excellent photothermal and electrothermal conversion ability, acid/water stability and flame retardant ability, and has promising application prospects in thermal management textiles such as deicing and anti-icing, fire prevention, warmth and water evaporation.

Lightweight, flexible, and antimicrobial X-ray shielding composites with liquid metal-derived bismuth-tin core-shell particles

The extensive use of low-energy X-rays in clinical diagnostics increased radiation exposure, growing concerns for the health of patients and healthcare professionals. Lead has long served as a traditional material for radiation shielding owing to its high density and atomic number; however, concerns have arisen due to its toxicity and substantial weight. In this study, we developed flexible and wearable radiation protection materials by employing a layered structure comprising liquid metal-derived bismuth-tin (BiSn) core-shell particles embedded in a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix. The structural and mechanical properties of the TPU-BiSn composites were thoroughly investigated. The use of liquid metal particles (LMPs) resulted in outstanding flexibility (retained the flexibility of TPU matrix), while their oxide shell strengthened the composites significantly (∼15 % enhancement in the tensile strength at break point). The TPU-BiSn composites exhibited promising X-ray attenuation properties. X-ray attenuation efficiency surpassed 99 % for 5 mm thick composite sheets, suitable for mammographic diagnostics in the energy range of 20–30 kVp. Increasing particle loading improved shielding efficiency for higher energy ranges (40–90 kVp), with predictions extending to 90–120 kVp, demonstrating their suitability for composites that comply with ASTM standards for radiation attenuation gloves. In addition, the composite sheets displayed contact-active antimicrobial properties, rendering them appealing for various healthcare applications. Given the availability of materials and the feasibility of production, these composites hold significant potential for practical implementation in real-world applications.

Reinforced nanowrinkle electrospun photothermal membranes via solvent‐induced recrystallization

AbstractWearable photothermal materials can capture light energy in nature and convert it into heat energy, which is critical for flexible outdoor sports. However, the conventional flexible photothermal membranes with low specific surface area restrict the maximum photothermal capability, and loose structure of electrospun membrane limits durability of wearable materials. Here, an ultrathin nanostructure candle soot/multi‐walled carbon nanotubes/poly (L‐lactic acid) (CS/MWCNTs/PLLA) photothermal membrane is first prepared via solvent‐induced recrystallization. The white blood cell membrane‐like nanowrinkles with high specific surface area are achieved for the first time and exhibit optimal light absorption. The solvent‐induced recrystallization also enables the membrane to realize large strength and durability. Meanwhile, the membranes also show two‐sided heterochromatic features and transparency in thick and thin situations, respectively, suggesting outstanding fashionability. The nano‐wrinkled photothermal membranes by novel solvent‐induced recrystallization show high flexibility, fashionability, strength, and photothermal characteristics, which have huge potential for outdoor warmth and winter sportswear.image

Nano-engineered versatile Janus natural-skin with sandwich structure for wearable all-season personal thermal management

Thermal management wearables hold significant promise for various applications, such as bio-integrated electronics, multifunctional fabrics, thermoelectric devices, etc. Given the complex and volatile external environmental conditions they may encounter, thermal management wearables should possess versatile and comprehensive auxiliary functions to enable cutting-edge advanced applications. Herein, we present a multifunctional nano-engineered Janus-type natural-skin (SHRC-skin) offering dual-modes of solar heating and radiative cooling. Additionally, the SHRC-skin integrated functionalities like flammability resistance, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, and physiological signal monitoring achieved through the integration of traditional spray techniques and a phase-conversion pathway on natural-skin as a substrate, SHRC-skin enabled all-season thermal management. The radiative cooling side of the SHRC-skin incorporates a CA/Mg11(HPO3)8(OH)6 composite coating with an irregular porous structure, while the solar heating side consists of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with a rough structure. The radiative cooling layer exhibited a solar reflectance of ∼90.13 % and a mid-infrared emittance of ∼87.6 %, whereas the heating layer demonstrated a solar absorptance of ∼89 %. These attributes translated to excellent thermal management performance in outdoor-tests. Furthermore, SHRC-skin offered extensive additional functionalities, including exceptional asymmetric wetting, flame retardancy, electrical conductivity, Joule heating, electromagnetic shielding, and physiological signal monitoring. This versatility significantly enhances SHRC-skin's adaptability to complex and diverse environments. In summary, the multifunctional SHRC-skin seamlessly transitions between cooling and heating modes without additional energy input. This innovation holds great promise for all-season wearable thermal management, environmentally friendly travel, and energy-efficient building furnishings, and opens new possibilities for the development of wearable materials across various scenarios.