In recent years, smart interactive textiles have become a hot technology in the world textile industry, and this technology has gradually been applied with the performance development of new materials. In China, due to the cost of new materials and the immaturity of related supporting technologies, there is less research on the introduction and application of this technology. Starting from the concept of intelligent interactive textiles and the application status at home and abroad, this paper explains the impact of new material technology on smart textiles and looks forward to its future development prospects.
First, the research and application status of intelligent interactive textiles
1. The concept of intelligent interactive textiles
In the concept of intelligent interactive textiles, in addition to the characteristics of intelligence, the ability to interact is another significant feature. As the technical predecessor of intelligent interactive textiles, the technological development of interactive textiles has also made great contributions to intelligent interactive textiles. The interaction mode of intelligent interactive textiles is usually divided into two types: passive interaction and active interaction. Smart textiles with passive interaction functions can usually only perceive changes or stimuli in the external environment and cannot effectively feedback; smart textiles with active interaction functions can respond to these changes in a timely manner while sensing changes in the external environment. The interaction of traditional textiles is often passive, and intelligent interactive textiles are combined with existing technology, based on the expansion and extension of traditional fabric functions, which can retain the original functions of traditional textile products, such as warmth, beauty, comfort and protection, etc., by adding conductive fibers or other functional fibers and sensors to give textiles more active functions, so as to achieve the active interaction of fabrics. Therefore, fabrics that meet the ability to interact are not necessarily intelligent, and fabrics that are equally intelligent do not necessarily have excellent interactions with users.
The rapid development of intelligent interactive textiles is inseparable from the progress of many fields such as electronics, nano, bionics and material science and technology. At the same time, smart fibers, fabrics and clothing products with the continuous progress of these fields to bring more humane, practical products, but also become the focus of attention of the fashion industry. In the 1970s and 1980s, Japanese scientists took the lead in proposing the concept of "smart materials", which laid the foundation for the development of smart fabrics, and to a certain extent, it can be considered to be the predecessor of smart fabrics. Figure 1 shows the model of smart fabric principles developed by Google (Google).
Figure 1 The smart fabric principle model developed by Google
2. Research and application status of intelligent interactive textiles
In 1996, scholars at the Georgia Institute of Technology took the lead in the research and application of intelligent interactive textiles in the military field, creating a new smart clothing by implanting optical fiber and conductive fiber technology into products. The smart clothing uses photoelectric textile products provided by Wearable Motherboard, which can collect the wearer's body indicator data, and transmit the data sent by the sensor to the gateway, using the integrated monitoring software to summarize the data, summarize the health recommendations and send them to the user. The platform forms a multifunctional framework that integrates sensing, monitoring, and information processing devices for biomedical monitoring and smart wearables.
Google and American clothing brand Levi's have developed a jeans that is compatible with smartphones and MP3, iPod and other products in the study of smart interactive fabrics (Figure 2). Through the user's touch on the fabric, the product is able to directly control multimedia devices such as switching songs or pause/play and volume control. This product is capable of supporting the vast majority of iPod products on the market.
Figure 2 Smart Jeans
3. Research practice in the field of materials for intelligent interactive textiles
In recent years, many fiber manufacturers in mainland China have achieved technological breakthroughs, laying a solid raw material foundation for the development of intelligent interactive textiles from the fiber perspective, and have successively completed the development of conductive meta-aramid intelligent fibers, phase change energy storage viscose intelligent fibers, copper-based polyacrylonitrile-based conductive fibers, intelligent temperature-regulated regenerated cellulose fibers and other products.
Changshu Xiangying Special Fiber Co., Ltd. production of copper polyacrylonitrile-based conductive fiber using copper ions in the fiber to build a conductive network, the use of durable polyacrylonitrile fiber surface conductive layer structure control technology prepared, the fiber has good conductivity, bacteriostatic and good breathability and wrinkle resistance, in the field of antistatic clothing, electromagnetic shielding textiles and sensing materials application field has great advantages.
The photochromic regenerated cellulose fiber launched by Xinxiang Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. uses nanoscale materials and solves the problem of difficult and uneven dyeing of regenerated cellulose fiber by using online addition technology. In the preparation technology, it adopts a special photochromic agent, blended with the spinning stock solution, and uses wet spinning to obtain photochromic regenerated cellulose fibers. The product is soft and has a unique luster, while the light becomes sensitive, the gloss is bright, can absorb ultraviolet rays and thus have a protective effect, and does not need to dye, from the source of manufacturing to solve the secondary pollution of product processing.
Second, the impact of new materials and new preparation technologies on intelligent interactive textiles
1. Metal fiber - the first choice in the field of intelligent interactive fabrics
Metal-plated fiber is a functional fiber that has attracted much attention in recent years, and its unique characteristics of antibacterial, antistatic and sterilization and deodorization have been widely used in the fields of intimate clothing, medical, sports, home textiles and special clothing.
Although metal fabrics with certain physical properties cannot be called intelligent interactive fabrics, metal fabrics can be used as carriers of electronic circuits, and they themselves can also become part of electronic circuits, so they become the preferred materials for interactive fabrics.
2. The influence of preparation technology on intelligent interactive textiles
The existing intelligent interactive textile preparation process is mainly based on electroplating and chemical plating. Due to the large number of intelligent fabric load-bearing functions, high reliability is required, and vacuum coating technology is difficult to obtain a thicker coating. In the absence of better technological innovations, the application of smart materials is limited by physical coating technology. The combination of electroplating and chemical plating has become a compromise solution to this problem. Usually, when preparing fabrics with conductive properties, the fabric is first woven using conductive fibers made by the chemical plating process, and the fabric coating prepared by this technology is more uniform than that obtained by directly using electroplating technology. In addition, conductive fibers can be blended proportionally with ordinary fibers to reduce costs on the basis of guaranteed function.
At present, the biggest problem with fiber coating technology is the adhesion and firmness of the coating. Fabrics need to undergo washing, folding, kneading and other conditions in practical applications, so conductive fibers need to be tested for durability, which also puts forward higher requirements for the preparation process and the adhesion of the coating. If the quality of the coating is not good, it can cause it to crack and fall off in practical applications. This places high demands on the application of electroplating processes on fiber fabrics.
In recent years, microelectronic printing technology has gradually demonstrated its technical advantages in the development of intelligent interactive fabrics, which can use printing equipment to accurately deposit conductive inks onto substrates, so as to manufacture highly customizable electronic products on demand. Although microelectronic printing can rapidly prototype electronic products with various functions on a variety of substrates, with the potential for short cycle times and high customization, the cost of this technology is still high at this stage.
In addition, conductive hydrogel technology also shows its unique advantages in the preparation of intelligent interactive fabrics. Conductive hydrogels, combined with conductive and soft properties that mimic the mechanical and sensory functions of human skin, have attracted a great deal of attention over the past few decades in areas such as wearables, implantable biosensors, and artificial skin. Due to the formation of a conductive network, hydrogels have rapid electron transport and strong mechanical properties. As a conductive polymer with tunable conductivity, polyaniline can use phytic acid and polyelectrolyte as dopants to manufacture various types of conductive hydrogels. Despite their satisfactory conductivity, relatively weak and brittle networks seriously hamper their practical applications. Therefore, it needs to be developed in practical applications.
3. Intelligent interactive textiles developed by new material technology
(1) Shape memory textiles
Shape memory textiles introduce materials with shape memory functions into textiles through weaving and finishing, so that textiles have shape memory characteristics (Figure 3). The product is able to, like memory metals, undergo arbitrary deformation and adjust its form to the original after reaching certain conditions.
Figure 3 Shape Memory Textile Conceptual Model
The shape memory textile category mainly includes cotton, silk, wool fabrics and hydrogel fabrics. A shape memory textile developed by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is made of cotton and linen, which can quickly return to flatness and structure after heating, and has good moisture absorption, does not change color after long-term use, and has chemical resistance.
Products with functional requirements such as insulation, heat resistance, moisture permeability, air permeability, and impact resistance are the main application platforms for shape memory textiles. At the same time, in the field of fashion consumer goods, shape memory materials have also become excellent materials for expressing design language in the hands of designers, giving products more unique expression effects.
(2) Electronic intelligent information textiles
By implanting flexible microelectronic components and sensors in the fabric, it is possible to prepare intelligent textiles with electronic information. Auburn University (Auburn University) in the United States has developed a fiber product that can emit changes in heat reflection and light-induced reversible optical changes, and the material has great technical advantages in the field of flexible display and other equipment manufacturing. In recent years, with the great demand for flexible display technology from technology companies specializing in mobile technology products, the research of flexible textile display technology has received more attention and development momentum.
(3) Modular technical textiles
The integration of electronic components into textiles through modular technology to prepare fabrics is the current technical optimal solution for intelligent fabrics. Google through the "Project Jacquard" project is committed to the modular application of smart fabrics, has been with Levi's, Saint Laurent (Saint Laurent), Adidas (Adidas) and other brands to launch a variety of smart fabric products for different consumer groups, Figure 4 is the project and Saint Laurent to develop a smart backpack.
Figure 4 Smart Backpack
The vigorous development of intelligent interactive textiles is inseparable from the continuous development of new materials and the perfect cooperation of various supporting processes. Thanks to the decreasing cost of various new materials on the market today and the maturity of production technology, more bold ideas will be tried and practiced in the future to provide new inspiration and direction for the smart textile industry.
Third, the future prospects and application prospects of intelligent interactive textiles
Compared with traditional textiles, intelligent interactive textiles are more comprehensive in functions and applications, able to receive changes from the outside world and collect necessary information, and make timely responses and feedback. Aviation, military field to take the lead in the development and application of intelligent interactive textiles, subsequently, the design and manufacture of smart clothing also began to use smart textiles to complete, but smart textiles in the real sense of the consumer field also need to combine the needs of related technologies such as simultaneity, practicality and durability.
In different application scenarios, intelligent interactive textiles also subvert the existing smart wearable products on the market through different shape materials and modeling levels. The intelligent interactive textiles applied to the field of clothing can not only achieve various aesthetic needs, but also meet various special functional needs, such as military, fire, medical and other fields.
IV. Conclusion
Intelligent interactive textiles have great development potential and use needs in the fields of protection, sports, medical treatment, and military. The development of this technology has not only driven the textile and garment industry, but also promoted the development of computer, electronics, chemical, materials and other industries.
With the development of lightweight, miniaturized and conductive fiber technology of electronic devices, future scientific and technological products can be more and more applied in the field of fabrics, and these devices will achieve better and more comprehensive integration with products such as clothing and home textiles. Thanks to the development and progress of new material technology, the cost of materials and technologies necessary for the production of various smart fabrics will be reduced to the stage of being able to serve ordinary consumers. In the context of such a new era, fully understanding the functions of intelligent interactive fabrics and their development processes, mastering core technologies, and maintaining and developing new product application scenarios are the most important links in the development of intelligent interactive textiles. The fusion of art and technology has produced countless wonderful and unimaginable new products, and the progress and development of human society are inseparable from this integration. With the continuous innovation of intelligent interactive fabrics in the field of technology, it is believed that more intelligent products developed on this basis will be launched in the future.
Source: Textile Herald
The author of this article: Jia Shanglin Wang Yang
END
The author of this article: Tianjin Institute of Materials Commission
Editor-in-charge of this article: Wang Ningning
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