Investigating the challenges of measuring combination mechanics in textile fabrics

Measurements of the mechanical behavior of fabrics started during the Zeppelin era in the 1900s, where tensile, shear and biaxial behavior of the airship’s envelope fabric were measured. More measurement methods were developed later when there was a need to measure fabric handle and behavior. Although measurements of tensile, shear, buckling and bending have been established and are being used, their combinations, which represent a more realistic approach, are still being developed. However, these multi-axial measurements pose challenges not only in apparatus design but also in determining the measurement parameters. Here these challenges are being put forward and further research requirements are identified and discussed. </jats:p

Investigating the Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel “Green” H₂O₂-Assisted, Water-Soluble Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofiber for Environmental End Uses

The present work highlights the formation of a novel green nanofiber based on H2O2-assisted water-soluble chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (WSCHT/PVA) by using water as an ecofriendly solvent and genipin used as a nontoxic cross-linker. The 20/80 blend ratio was found to have the most optimum uniform fiber morphology. WSCHT retained the same structure as WISCHT. The prepared nanofibers were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Water Contact Angle (WCA) and Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis). During electrospinning, the crystalline microstructure of the WSCHT/PVA underwent better solidification and after cross-linking there was an increase in the melting temperature of the fiber. Swelling ratio studies revealed noticeable increase in hydrophilicity with increase of WSCHT, which was further demonstrated by the decrease of contact angle from 64.74&deg; to 14.68&deg;. WSCHT/PVA nanofiber mats exhibit excellent UV blocking protection with less than 5% transmittance value and also showed improved in vitro drug release properties with stable release for longer duration (cross-linked fibers) and burst release for shorter duration (uncross linked) fibers. Finally our experimental data demonstrates excellent adsorption ability of Colour Index (C.I.) reactive black 5 (RB5) due to protonated amino groups

Investigating superior performance by configuring bimetallic electrodes on fabric triboelectric nanogenerators (F-TENGs) for IoT enabled touch sensor applications

Fabric Triboelectric Nanogenerators (F-TENGs) are increasingly becoming more significant in wearable monitoring and beyond. These devices offer autonomous energy generation and sensing capabilities, by replacing conventional batteries in flexible wearables. Despite the substantial effort, however, achieving high output with optimal stability, durability, comfort, and washability poses substantial challenges, so we have yet to see any practical commercial uses of these materials. This study focuses on output and investigates the impacts of mono and bimetallic composite fabric electrode configurations on the output performance of F-TENGs. Our findings showcase the superiority of bimetallic configurations, particularly those incorporating Copper (Cu) with Nickel (Ni), over monometallic (Cu only) electrodes. These configurations demonstrate remarkable results, exhibiting a maximum instantaneous voltage, current, and power density of ∼ 199 V (a twofold increase compared to monometallic configurations), ∼22 μA (a threefold increase compared to monometallic configurations), and 2992 mW/m², respectively. Notably, these bimetallic configurations also exhibit exceptional flexibility, shape adaptability, structural integrity, washability, and mechanical stability. Furthermore, the integration of passive component-based power management circuits significantly enhances the performance capabilities of the F-TENGs, highlighting the essential role of power management circuits and electrode selection in optimizing F-TENGs. In addition, we have developed a complete IoT-enabled touch sensor system using CuNi-BEF EcoFlex layered F-TENGs for precise detection of soft and hard touches. This advanced system enhances robotic functionality, enabling nuanced touch understanding essential for precision tasks and fostering more intuitive human-machine interactions