The integration of high conductive networks and textiles has become a favorable technical route to fulfill the objectives of wearable electronics. Herein, high stretchable and recoverable PET fabric coated with a layer of silver nanowire network by a simple and scalable polyol-method is provided. The electrothermal performance, resistance temperature-sensitivity, electromagnetic shielding performance, strain sensing, and washability of silver nanowire (AgNWs)/PET fabrics with different coating times were performed. The conductivity of the fabric coated AgNWs of 2.8 mg/cm2 is as high as 175 S/m, the EMI shielding effectiveness is 37 dB, and it gives a highly sensitive strain response to human movement (gauge factor of −6.16 under 10% strain) and an underwater oil repellent angle of 125°. The heating temperature can reach above 100°C within 27 s under an applied current of 0.10 A. In addition, an excellent linearity of the resistance temperature-sensitive behavior for AgNWs/PET fabrics is obtained, and fabric Ag-5 gives a negative temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of −0.05%/°C. Knitted fabric with multi-function is obtained by use of silver nanowire coating. This method provides a simple, low-cost and easy-to-scalable process for the production of electronic textiles, such as fabric heater, microwave blocker, sensor, and other technologies.
Tight compression garments are able to exert pressure on the surface of the human body, helping to relieve muscle fatigue and accelerate recovery. In order to study the effect of the tensile property on fabric pressure on the human body, by response surface methodology, in this paper 13 seamless knitting fabrics were designed with various knitting parameters, including the linear density of bare elastic yarn (33.3, 55.6 and 77.8 dtex), yarn feed tension (0.015, 0.030 and 0.045 cN/dtex) and fabric structure (1 × 1 mock rib, cross-float and plain stitch). Through tensile testing, the tensile moduli of 13 fabrics were measured and the effect of knitting parameters was analyzed. In addition, a finite element method was used to simulate the tight pressure on the human thigh of fabrics with different tensile moduli with ANSYS workbench 19.0. Furthermore, an actual pressure experiment was designed to prove the accuracy and validation of the simulation. The result showed that the effect of yarn feed tension on the elasticity modulus was the least significant, while linear density and structure had a great influence. A quadratic response surface regression model of the elasticity modulus was created, which could calculate a bare elastic yarn knitting fabric by using its parameters. It was proved that the finite element model was able to predict pressure accurately. Through the pressure numerical simulation of three fabric samples with different tensile moduli (0.111, 0.253 and 0.523 MPa), it was indicated that for fabric with a low tensile modulus, its tight compression merely changed as elongation increased; however, for fabric with a high tensile modulus, tight compression was promoted as elongation increased.
Natural brown cotton has favorable antibacterial and antioxidant properties. In this study, we explored the effect of gauze made from natural brown cotton after scouring and bleaching on wound healing in rats. In this work, a control experiment was adopted. The control group used absorbent cotton gauze, and the experimental group utilized natural brown cotton bleached gauze. The materials were applied to rat models to explore the effects of the two dressings on wound healing. By analyzing the wound healing state of rats, calculating the healing rate, and combining the pathological HE staining, Masson staining, and CD31 immunohistochemical staining, the results showed that both gauzes have positive effects on the wound healing of the rats. Moreover, compared with the control group, the wound healing rate of rats in the experimental group increased by 14.81%, the number of inflammatory cells decreased by 12.93%, the number of new blood vessels increased by 6.88%, the growth rate of the granulation tissue area was 10.76%, the step-up rate of the area occupied by collagen was 33.71%, and the increase rate of optical density value was 10.00%. This study found that natural brown cotton bleached gauze has a better effect on wound healing than ordinary absorbent cotton gauze, and can be used as medical dressings.
In this paper, to determine the impact of carbon fiber orientation and interweaving on electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding behaviors, anisotropic and isotropic samples were developed by conductive/dielectric weaving of spatially distributed carbon fiber and glass fiber. Effortless and cost-effective, the electromagnetic shielding efficiency (SE) was up to 42 dB and the SE/thickness) was 41 dB/mm, which had apparent polarization selection characteristics. In addition, the angle (θ) sensitivity for the SE in transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarization modes was given in detail. SE was generally proportional to θ. Moreover, the fingerprint-like radar chart of anisotropic carbon hybrid woven fabrics in the X-band was performed, which makes polarization selection characteristics more intuitive. This paper presented an easy and effective route for assembling hybrid carbon fiber fabrics with high EMI shielding performance, which offers a clear perspective on the simulation and study of carbon fiber electromagnetic properties.
Functionalized knitted fabric, as a kind of flexible, wearable, and waterproof material capable of conductivity, sensitivity and outstanding hydrophobicity, is valuable for multi-field applications. Herein, the reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-coated knitted fabric (polyester/spandex blended) is prepared, which involves the use of graphite oxide (GO) by modified Hummers method and in-situ chemical reduction with hydrazine hydrate. The treated fabric exhibits a high electrical conductivity (202.09 S/cm) and an outstanding hydrophobicity (140°). The outstanding hydrophobicity is associated with the morphology of the fabric and fiber with reference to pseudo-infiltration. These properties can withstand repeated bending and washing without serious deterioration, maintaining good electrical conductivity (35.70 S/cm) and contact angle (119.39°) after eight standard washing cycles. The material, which has RGO architecture and continuous loop mesh structure, can find wide use in smart garment applications.