Researchers are exploring how the clothes people wear can potentially track and protect their health.
by Sidney Barillaux – U. Georgia
Smart textiles are fabrics that can monitor body vitals and movements in real time. They are flexible and lightweight, making them more comfortable to wear while on the move.
The current publication focuses on MXenes, a class of two-dimensional, microscopic materials made from metals that can be coated or printed on fabrics.
The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of hundreds of published studies to examine the various properties of MXenes and how they could be used in smart textiles.
“MXenes have some advanced properties. Not only can they detect body temperature, blood pressure and heartbeatBut they’re also antimicrobial, making them ideal for hospital settings, he says
A major focus of the review was the potential use of smart textiles in healthcare. With smart clothes, wearers can track their health. Doctors and other health professionals can monitor a patient’s vitals and receive alerts if the fabric detects an irregular heartbeat, blood pressure or temperature.
These fabrics can also respond to changes in the body, helping to regulate body temperature. Being able to kill bacteria could also be a great asset in hospital settings, the researchers say.
“These MXene-based smart textiles can help prevent bacterial growth,” says Ghosh.
“There is always the possibility of bacterial contamination with medical textiles. But if we use MXene-coated textile materials, we get the antimicrobial properties that hospitals need.”
Smart textiles can also be ideal for fitness enthusiasts who want to monitor their progress and improve their health.
Unlike most smartwatches, smart textiles are powered by the sun. This solar energy can not only help the sensor work but can be used as a built-in power bank, the researchers say.
“We can store the energy we get from the sun,” says Ghosh. “If we want, we can put our cellphone on our wearable textile to charge it. The fabric’s thin energy collection and storage layers will be built directly into it, acting like a flexible, wearable power bank that can charge a phone or even a laptop in the near future.”
MXenes have weaknesses, however, the review found.
Materials become less effective when exposed to oxygen or water, so they may not work after multiple washes. They are produced using non-durable materials.
Ghosh is optimistic that his lab will be able to overcome those challenges.
“We are working on how to reduce oxidation and how to prepare MXenes using some sustainable and environmentally friendly materials,” says Ghosh.
“MXenes are made from metal-based compounds that require energy intensive processing. We are trying to prepare MXenes with biodegradable ingredients so that we can get a sustainable product as well as long shelf life.”
This review appears ACS Omega.
Source: University of Georgia
Original study DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c08488
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Previously published with future.org Creative Commons License
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Photo credit: splash
