Concepts for energy-interactive textiles

This review examines textile fibers and fabrics in the context of their interaction with various forms of energy, such as electromagnetic (photolytic), electrical magnetic thermal, chemical and mechanical. This interaction can involve conversion storage or management of energy. Examples are described suggesting some new materials configurations that could be incorporated into textiles to create special energy interactive textile (EITX) structures. Areas discussed are the management of electron flow (electrical resistivity) and the adsorption of mechanical energy in textile fibers and fabrics. Surface resistance studies on carbon nanotubes and conductive carbon black filled films of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and paraffin wax show that the electrical conductivity of these materials depends upon the matrix material type and the amount of charge-carrying particles in the matrix. PMMA films filled with carbon nanotubes are found to be more electrically conductive than matrices filled with conductive carbon black. Mechanically energy interactions of flocked textile surfaces show that in compression they exhibit unique gradual load-deflection behavior. This effect should be useful in applications requiring impact-energy adsorption. Finally the functional steps in an integrated energy-interactive textile system are discussed.