Breakthrough in smart fiber technology: Donghua University has developed revolutionary new materials
In modern society, the progress of science and technology is changing with each passing day, and various innovative technologies are constantly emerging, which has brought great changes to human life. In the field of textiles, the breakthrough of intelligent fiber technology has attracted widespread attention. Recently, the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Donghua University published a breakthrough research result in the journal Science, successfully developing a new type of intelligent fiber that integrates wireless energy harvesting, information perception and transmission. This achievement is expected to change the way people interact with the environment and between people, and has important implications for the development of functional fibers and the application of smart textiles.
Although traditional textiles play an important role in warmth and shading, they have always had limitations in terms of intelligence. The new type of smart fiber developed by Donghua University has realized the integration of multiple functions through ingenious design and material selection. This kind of smart textiles woven from fibers do not need to rely on chips and batteries, and can realize light-emitting display, touch and other human-computer interaction functions, which opens up a new path for the development of smart textiles.
The structural design of the new smart fiber is ingenious. It adopts a three-layer sheath core structure, the core layer is a fiber antenna that induces alternating electromagnetic fields, and is made of silver-plated nylon fiber, the middle layer is a dielectric layer to improve the electromagnetic energy coupling capacity, and the outer layer is an electric field-sensitive light-emitting layer. This structural design not only enables the fiber to have the ability of wireless energy harvesting, but also realizes the perception and transmission of information. What's more, the low cost of raw materials and the mature processing of fibers and fabrics have laid a solid foundation for its large-scale application.
In the design of the new smart fiber, the researchers proposed an energy interaction mechanism based on "human coupling", which is a highlight of the technology. When smart fibers come into contact with the human body, the electromagnetic energy originally dissipated in the atmosphere will preferentially enter the circuit composed of the fibers, the human body, and the earth. With the touch of a hand, a new type of fiber with a specific functional material is added to generate electricity. This mechanism cleverly uses the conductivity of the human body itself, so that the smart fiber can efficiently collect and utilize the electromagnetic energy in the environment, providing sufficient energy support for the realization of its function.
The breakthrough of new smart fiber technology has brought infinite possibilities for the development of smart textiles. Although traditional textiles are ubiquitous in life, their function is relatively simple. The emergence of smart fiber technology has made textiles no longer limited to basic functions such as warmth and shading, but can realize the interaction with people and the transmission of information. By weaving smart fibers into clothing, curtains, carpets and other daily textiles, people can interact with them in a variety of ways, such as touch and voice, and obtain various information and services. This will undoubtedly greatly change people's lifestyles and improve the quality of life.
In addition to its application in daily life, the new smart fiber technology also has broad application prospects in medical, military, aerospace and other fields. For example, in the medical field, smart fibers can be used to make wearable health monitoring devices that monitor patients' vital signs in real time and provide doctors with diagnosis and treatment basis. In the military field, smart fibers can be used to make military clothing with stealth, bulletproof, self-repair and other functions to improve the combat ability and survivability of soldiers. In the aerospace sector, smart fibers can be used to make spacesuits, monitor the health of astronauts, and provide them with the necessary protection.
The research team at Donghua University said they will continue to delve into how the new fibers can more efficiently harvest energy from space and use it to drive more functions, including display, deformation, computing and more. This means that there is still huge room and potential for the development of smart fiber technology. With the deepening of research, the functions of smart fibers will become richer and more powerful, and their application fields will continue to expand.
The new smart fiber developed by Donghua University realizes the luminous display and touch function of smart textiles through wireless energy harvesting and human body coupling mechanism, without relying on chips and batteries. This breakthrough demonstrates the great potential of smart fiber technology to revolutionize human-computer interaction and set off a new wave of applications in the field of smart textiles. With the continuous deepening of research, intelligent fiber technology will surely shine in various fields, bringing more convenience and surprises to human life. We have reason to believe that in the near future, smart fiber technology will become an important force to promote social progress, opening a smarter and better new era for mankind.