The future’s bright with glow-in-the-dark yarns
Researchers at the University of Manchester have developed high-tech battery-powered textile yarns that can be used to make clothing glow in the dark.
The yarns have been developed by The William Lee Innovation Centre (WLIC), based in the University's School of Materials, and are suitable for clothing worn by cyclists, joggers and pedestrians.
Current high visibility products, such as those used by emergency services, depend on external light sources to make them visible. This can be ineffective in low light situations and, as they can sometimes depend on vehicle headlights to make them visible, wearers could be seen too late.
These electroluminescent (EL) yarns allow the wearer to be permanently visible, potentially improving personal safety. The yarn consists of an inner conductive core yarn, coated with electroluminescent ink and a protective transparent encapsulation, with an outer conductive yarn wrapped around it. When the EL yarn is powered with an inverter the resultant electrical field between the inner and outer conductor causes the electroluminescent coating to emit light.
