Research team spins breathable smart fibres
A recent study published in scientific journal Nano Energy has drawn attention to research jointly led by a team from China’s Nanjing University and Japan’s University of Fukui into breathable smart textiles.
The electrospun fibres resulting from their research have been named EF-TENGs and are composed of polyvinylidene fluoride and nylon layers, which have been coated with silver nanowires. This structure means that the material reportedly remains soft, breathable and comfortable.
“The power generation device has flexibility and breathability since all components are composed of fibre materials,” commented corresponding author for the study, Dr Hiroaki Sakamoto. On potential applications, Dr Sakamoto stated: “This device shows great potential in harvesting the static electricity from our clothes.”
For example, the body’s own mechanical motions (such as those naturally made when walking or running) enable the fibre layers to gain a charge when worn, which is subsequently converted into electrical energy that can then be used to power electronic devices.
“With our work, we are aiming to provide a new point of view towards wearable energy harvesters and smart textiles,” the researcher added.
