Integrating Electronics to Textiles by Ultrasonic Welding for Cable-Driven Applications for Smart Textiles

The connection between flexible textiles and stiff electronic components has always been structurally weak and a limiting factor in the establishment of smart textiles in our everyday life. This paper focuses on the formation of reliable connections between conductive textiles and conventional litz wires using ultrasonic welding. The paper offers a promising approach to solving this problem. The electrical and mechanical performance of the samples were investigated after 15 and 30 wash-and-dry cycles in a laundry machine. Here the contact resistances and their peeling strength were measured. Furthermore, their connection properties were analysed in microsections. The resistance of the joints increased more than 300%, because the silver-coated wires suffered under the laundry cycles. Meanwhile, the mechanical strength during the peeling test decreased by only about 20% after 15 cycles and remained the same after 30 cycles. The good results obtained in this study suggest that ultrasonic welding offers a useful approach to the connection of textile electronics to conductive wires and to the manufacture of smart textiles.

Liquid-Immersion Reprocessing Effects on Filtration Efficiency of ‘Single-Use’ Commercial Medical Face Masks

Purpose Medical masks have inferior filtration efficiency and fit to filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) but are widely used in healthcare and the community. These masks are intended for disposal after use but in the event of mask shortage re-use after reprocessing may be an option. We investigated eight reprocessing methods that each involved washing or soaking in liquid, are likely to eliminate respiratory viruses, and are safe and available in most community and healthcare settings. Methods Three brands of EN 14683 standards-compliant commercial medical mask were each reprocessed 10 times by one of eight methods. We measured filtration efficiency for poly-dispersed sodium chloride particles and pressure differential. Results Compared with new medical masks, reprocessed masks had significantly reduced filtration efficiency. The reduction was mild-moderate (6.5–25.8%) after warm water wash, hot water soak or boiling water soak; and moderate-large (24.1–51.5%) after detergent, soap or laundry machine wash, or bleach soak. There were mixed and minor changes in pressure differential. Most reprocessed standards-compliant masks had better filtration efficiency than new non-standard commercial masks and then cotton and cotton-polyester mix fabric samples, even triple-layered fabrics. Conclusions High-quality commercial medical masks reprocessed 10 times by water immersion methods had better filtration efficiency than new non-standard masks and washable fabrics. These findings have particular relevance for community and low-resource healthcare settings.

Consumer Motivation and Environmental Impact of Laundry Machine-Sharing: Analysis of Surveys in Tokyo and Bangkok

A sharing economy is an alternative system that enables pro-environmental behavior by improving efficiency through product-sharing. However, some motivations and requirements for doing laundry can increase the environmental burden, which suggests that the laundry machine (LM) sharing is not necessarily sustainable. This study clarifies consumer motivations for laundry usage and assesses the feasibility of environmentally sustainable laundry behavior through LM-sharing. Consumer surveys were conducted in Tokyo and Bangkok with different LM-ownership proportions. Single-person households were targeted, reflecting Tokyo’s demographic situation. A scenario analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of routine laundry behavior changes on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Three main results emerged. First, Tokyo respondents used a coin-operated laundry machine (CL) for convenience, which private washers cannot provide, while Bangkok respondents used it for basic laundry needs. Consequentially, the Tokyo respondents, who used CLs, were responsible for more than three times the GHG emissions of Bangkok respondents. Second, the group using both private LM and CL was the least GHG-efficient group, regardless of region. Third, laundry behavior can reduce GHG emissions if consumer requirements are decreased. The results show that there is environmental significance in adopting LM-sharing for sustainable consumption and production systems that reflect regional characteristics.

Unpacking the Laundry Machine: Why Is Dirty Money in the Social Club?

The article provides an overview of the methods accepted to be critical for the laundering of illicit property, i.e. placement, layering, and integration. This is done to inform the reader of the obscurity the methods provide to illicit property and the possible costs involved. It is submitted that these typical methods would only be necessary when organised criminals launder huge sums of money. The article illustrates that when laundering relatively smaller amounts criminals prefer other cheaper methods to achieve the same end. The article, therefore, undertakes an objective analysis of the techniques of money laundering likely to be orchestrated in the South African social clubs schemes. The focus is on social organisations that engage in collecting money from members to deposit into a single account for a common goal. These organisations are termed stokvels. It is submitted that some of the collected amounts may not come from licit activities and may be highly difficult to identify. The article analyses the reason why people use social clubs and proposes methods that could be used to stall the refining of illicit money in such schemes.