Home // SPWID 2021, The Seventh International Conference on Smart Portable, Wearable, Implantable and Disability-oriented Devices and Systems // View article
Authors:
Sonia Reynolds
Keywords: Wearables; Transparent e-textiles; breathability; Sustainable e-textiles; Novel textile manufacturing process; Lightweight e-textiles; electronic textiles; textile innovation
Abstract:
The adoption and growth of e-textiles and wearables is largely reliant on how discreetly electrical devices can be applied without limiting functionality and compromising textile qualities. Electrical components are an important parameter for a variety of applications where devices are required to be in close proximity to the skin. One example is within the health and leisure industry, where sensors are used for monitoring and tracking bodily functions. Historically, electronics were aesthetically intrusive when applied to textiles, although, by becoming smaller and flexible this is less of an issue. A method to compliment those advancements further would be to incorporate small electrical components into a complimentary, open structured, lightweight, transparent textile. This would provide increased breathability and reduce fabric weight, resulting in more comfort for the user. This paper introduces a novel manufacturing process that accommodates these features. A process whereby fabrication is achieved through entangling the fibres on the surface of yarn. Observation is used to assess the level of fabric openness in relation to air permeable capacity, transparency and end weight. Quantitative methods were used via tensile testing to establish if textiles manufactured by the novel process met industry strength requirements. Eight samples were tested in total, each showed slight variations in results. For example, two samples tested in the weft direction showed a difference of 40% strain capacity. It was assumed the irregularity was the result of differing quantities of fibre on the yarn surface used for entanglement. However, all eight samples that underwent tensile tests were confirmed to meet the British Test Standard ISO 2062.
Pages: 12 to 15
Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2021
Publication date: May 30, 2021
Published in: conference
ISSN: 2519-8440
ISBN: 978-1-61208-867-9
Location: Valencia, Spain
Dates: from May 30, 2021 to June 3, 2021