Research status and prospect of intelligent fibres and textiles

Intelligent fibre is a kind of fibre that integrates sensing and information processing. It is similar to biological materialsand has intelligent functions such as self-perception, self-adaptation, self-diagnosis, and self-repair. Intelligent textilesrefer to textiles that have sensing and responding functions to the environment. Intelligent fibres and their textiles notonly have the ability to perceive and respond to external stimuli but also have the ability to adapt to the externalenvironment. In recent years, the research on intelligent fibres has achieved many results in the world, and it is widelyused in textiles and clothing industry. Therefore, this paper summarized the research status of intelligent fibre andintelligent textile worldwide, and put forward the research direction in the future. This paper introduced the propertiesand research status of five kinds of main intelligent fibres, including phase change fibre, shape memory fibre, smarthydrogel fibre, optical fibre and electronic intelligent fibre, and summarized their application in textiles. This paper alsointroduced the research status of five important intelligent textiles, including intelligent temperature control textile, shapememory textiles, waterproof and moisture permeable textile, intelligent antibacterial textile and electronic intelligenttextile. Moreover, it forecasted the development prospects of intelligent fibres and textiles, and pointed out developmentdirection in three aspects of performance optimization, green and safety, industrialization. It provided research referenceand guidance for future intelligent fibre and intelligent textile.

Facile Route for Synthesis of Novel Flame Retardant, Reinforcement and Antibacterial Textile Fabrics Coatings

New and innovative textile fabrics coatings were facilely developed. The coating was developed based on synthesis of novel charring and antibacterial organic agent in conjunction with chitosan. N-[2,3-dibromo-4-(4-methoxy-3-methylphenyl)-4-oxobutanoyl]anthranilic acid was synthesized as organic antibacterial, reinforcement, and charring agent (OA) and then, dispersed in chitosan solution followed by coating on textile fabrics using immersion route forming new flame retardant coating layer. The developed organic molecule structure was elucidated using spectroscopic techniques. The mass loadings of developed organic agent dispersed in chitosan solution were varied between 20–60 wt.%. The coated textile fabrics have special surface morphology of fiber shape aligned on textile fibers surface. The thermal stability and charring residues of the coated textile fabrics were enhanced when compared to blank and organic agent free coated samples. Furthermore, the flammability properties were evaluated using LOI (limiting oxygen index) and UL94 tests. Therefore, the coated textile fabrics record significant enhancement in flame retardancy achieving first class flame retardant textile of zero mm/min rate of burning and 23.8% of LOI value compared to 118 mm/min. rate of burning and 18.2% for blank textile, respectively. The tensile strength of the coated textile fabrics was enhanced, achieving 51% improvement as compared to blank sample. Additionally, the developed coating layer significantly inhibited the bacterial growth, recording 18 mm of clear inhibition zone for coated sample when compared to zero for blank and chitosan coated ones.

Development of Durable Antibacterial Textile Fabrics for Potential Application in Healthcare Environment

Recently, efforts at development of functional textiles with antibacterial effect have accelerated, the purpose being to provide protection against airborne bio-particles and micro-organisms. Growth of microbes on surface of textile materials can be inhibited by biocidal approach and biostatic approach. This paper describes the development of a healthcare textile with durable antibacterial properties by optimizing the conventional and commercialized antimicrobial agent polybiguanide derivative—poly(hexamethylenebiguanide) (PHMB). Pad-dry-cure method was used to coat PHMB on cotton fabrics. The durability to simulated healthcare laundering of the fabric samples was evaluated in detail. Specifically, effects of detergent and washing cycles were examined. It was found that the optimum finishing condition can impart to the fabrics excellent durability for simulated healthcare washing. The fabric samples showed 100% bactericidal effect after 52 washing cycles, and 104 washings slightly reduced the bactericidal activity. Nevertheless, both simulated healthcare washing and coating treatment were found to have slightly negative influence on the hand feel and tearing strength properties of cotton fabrics.