A Fibrous Nonwoven Hydrogel Composite for Shoe Insole with Enhanced Mechanical and Comfort Properties

A shoe insole material was created by combining eco-friendly natural fibers with alginate hydrogel, which is known for its biocompatibility. The sol-gel technique was used to create a composite by cross-linking the Bamboo/hemp and Tencel/Flax nonwoven, produced by the needle-punching method, with alginate solution using CaCl2 as a crosslinking agent. The composite was then dried at 30 & DEG;C for 24 h. To determine the effects of different alginate concentrations and nonwoven GSM (g/m(2)) on the composite's properties, three concentrations (0.5%, 0.75%, and 1%) and three GSM values (60 gm(-2), 120 gm(-2) and 180 gm(-2)) were used. The composite's properties were evaluated using SEM, FTIR, tensile strength, elongation, water absorbency, air permeability, overall moisture management, and anti-bacterial properties. The SEM and FTIR analyses have confirmed the successful synthesis of a composite material comprising alginate hydrogel reinforced with nonwoven fabric. Compared to Tencel/flax-reinforced hydrogel composites (117.6 N), the bamboo/hemp-reinforced hydrogel composites exhibited superior tensile strength (186.2 N) and water absorption properties. On the other hand, the Tencel/flax hydrogel composites (402 mm/sec) demonstrated better air permeability than the bamboo/hemp-reinforced hydrogel composite (321 mm/sec). In addition, both composites displayed antibacterial properties, making insoles made from these materials effective in controlling odors.

Automated summary

A shoe insole material was developed by combining eco-friendly natural fibers with alginate hydrogel. The composite material was synthesized using the sol-gel technique by cross-linking bamboo/hemp and Tencel/flax nonwoven with alginate solution. The composite showed improved properties such as tensile strength, water absorption, and antibacterial activity compared to traditional materials.