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Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles

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A special issue of Fibers (ISSN 2079-6439).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 April 2019) | Viewed by 94769

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mazeyar Parvinzadeh Gashti

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Guest Editor

GTI Chemical Solutions, Inc., Wellford, SC 29385, USA
Interests: electrospinning for tissue engineering applications; biomineralization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, we know that nanotechnology has been considered extensively in fiber and textile engineering in order to perform new functionalities. Ultrafine nanoparticles can transfer their intrinsic properties to fibers and textiles by surface coatings. Although several research studies confirmed such functionalities, research is still in progress in laboratories around the world to establish further results. Smart coatings can also be performed on textile products through other methods, such as plasma and laser coatings, sol-gel techniques, magnetron sputter coating, layer-by-layer techniques and crosslinking using polymers. Several properties are demonstrated using these methods, such as antibacterial, superhydrophobic, fire retardant, self–cleaning, superhydrophilic, moth-proofing, electromagnetic shielding, and electrical conductivity.

In this Special Issue, original research papers, as well as reviews, are welcome. The goal is to gather contributions on various aspects related to smart coatings, including preparation, analyses, industrial uses, as well as their potential toxicity to humans during their usage.

I hope that this Special Issue will provide the scientific community with a thorough overview of the current research on smart fibers and textiles.

Dr. Mazeyar Parvinzadeh Gashti
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fibers is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

surface grafting
plasma and laser
nanocomposites
layer-by-layer
sputter coating
functionality
toxicity.

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3592 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Spectroscopic Study of Solid-Phase Chitosan/Cyclodextrin-Based Electrospun Fibers

by Chen Xue and Lee D. Wilson

Fibers 2019, 7(5), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib7050048 - 22 May 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5608

Abstract

In this study, chitosan (chi)/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) 2:20 and 2:50 Chi:HPCD fibers were assembled via an electrospinning process that contained a mixture of chitosan and HPCD with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a solvent. Complementary thermal analysis (thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)) and spectroscopic methods (Raman/IR/NMR) were used to evaluate the structure and composition of the fiber assemblies. This study highlights the multifunctional role of TFA as a solvent, proton donor and electrostatically bound pendant group to chitosan, where the formation of a ternary complex occurs via supramolecular host–guest interactions. This work contributes further insight on the formation and stability of such ternary (chitosan + HPCD + solvent) electrospun fibers and their potential utility as “smart” fiber coatings for advanced applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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14 pages, 3410 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Development of Oxygen-Plasma-Surface-Treated UHMWPE Fabric Coated with a Mixture of SiC/Polyurethane for Protection against Puncture and Needle Threats

by Dariush Firouzi, Chan Y. Ching, Syed N. Rizvi and P. Ravi Selvaganapathy

Fibers 2019, 7(5), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib7050046 - 20 May 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 7077

Abstract

Although considerable research has been directed at developing materials for ballistic protection, considerably less has been conducted to address non-firearm threats. Even fewer studies have examined the incorporation of particle-laden elastomers with textiles for spike, knife, and needle protection. We report on a new composite consisting of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric impregnated with nanoparticle-loaded elastomer, specifically designed for spike- and needle-resistant garments. Failure analysis and parametric studies of particle-loading and layer-count were conducted using a mixture of SiC and polyurethane at 0, 30, and 50 wt.%. The maximum penetration resistance force of a single-layer of uncoated fabric increased up to 218–229% due to nanoparticle loading. Multiple-layer stacks of coated fabric show up to 57% and 346% improvement in spike puncture and hypodermic needle resistance, respectively, and yet were more flexible and 21–55% thinner than a multiple-layer stack of neat fabric (of comparable areal density). We show that oxygen-plasma-treatment of UHMWPE is critical to enable effective coating. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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10 pages, 3503 KiB

Open AccessArticle

One-Step Surface Functionalized Hydrophilic Polypropylene Meshes for Hernia Repair Using Bio-Inspired Polydopamine

by Noor Sanbhal, Xiakeer Saitaer, Mazhar Peerzada, Ali Habboush, Fujun Wang and Lu Wang

Fibers 2019, 7(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib7010006 - 14 Jan 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5910

Abstract

An ideal hernia mesh is one that absorbs drugs and withstands muscle forces after mesh implantation. Polypropylene (PP) mesh devices have been accepted as a standard material to repair abdominal hernia, but the hydrophobicity of PP fibers makes them unsuitable to carry drugs during the pre-implantation of PP meshes. In this study, for the first time, one-step functionalization of PP mesh surfaces was performed to incorporate bio-inspired polydopamine (PDA) onto PP surfaces. All PP mesh samples were dipped in the same concentration of dopamine solution. The surface functionalization of PP meshes was performed for 24 h at 37 °C and 80 rpm. It was proved by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) results that a thin layer of PDA was connected with PP surfaces. Moreover, water contact angle results proved that surface functionalized PP meshes were highly hydrophilic (73.1°) in comparison to untreated PP mesh surfaces (138.5°). Thus, hydrophilic PP meshes with bio-inspired poly-dopamine functionalization could be a good choice for hernia mesh implantation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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9 pages, 1937 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Solvent-Free Reactive Vapor Deposition for Functional Fabrics: Separating Oil–Water Mixtures with Fabrics

by Nongyi Cheng, Kwang-Won Park and Trisha L. Andrew

Fibers 2019, 7(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib7010002 - 01 Jan 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5806

Abstract

A facile, solvent-minimized approach to functionalize commercial raw fabrics is described. Reactive vapor deposition of conjugated polymers followed by post-deposition functionalization transforms common, off-the-shelf textiles into distinctly hydrophobic or superhydrophilic materials. The fabric coatings created by reactive vapor deposition are especially resistant to mechanical and solvent washing, as compared to coatings applied by conventional, solution-phase silane chemistries. Janus fabrics with dissimilar wettability on each face are also easily created using a simple, three-step vapor coating process, which cannot be replicated using conventional solution phase functionalization strategies. Hydrophobic fabrics created using reactive vapor deposition and post-deposition functionalization are effective, reusable, large-volume oil–water separators, either under gravity filtration or as immersible absorbants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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12 pages, 2704 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation of Chitosan-Coated Poly(L-Lactic Acid) Fibers for Suture Threads

by Daiki Komoto, Ryoka Ikeda, Tetsuya Furuike and Hiroshi Tamura

Fibers 2018, 6(4), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib6040084 - 25 Oct 2018

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6502

Abstract

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) is a biodegradable fiber, and a promising material for use in biomedical applications. However, its hydrophobicity, low hydrolyzability, and poor cell adhesion can be problematic in some cases; consequently, the development of improved PLA-based materials is required. In this study, chitosan-coated (CS-coated) PLA was prepared by plasma treatment and the layer-by-layer (LBL) method. Plasma treatment prior to CS coating effectively hydrophilized and activated the PLA surface. The LBL method was used to increase the number of CS and sodium alginate (SA) coating layers by electrostatically superposing alternating anionic and cationic polymers. The prepared fibers were characterized by tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen analysis and degradation testing, which revealed that the 100 W plasma treatment for 60 s was optimum, and that plasma treatment and the LBL method effectively coated CS onto the PLA fibers. The existence or not of a coating on the PLA fiber did not appear to influence the degradation of the fiber, which is ascribable to the extremely thin coating, as evidenced by nitrogen analysis and SEM. The CS-coated PLA fibers were prepared without damaging the PLA surface and can be used in biomaterial applications such as suture threads. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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14 pages, 20201 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Applying Image Processing to the Textile Grading of Fleece Based on Pilling Assessment

by Mei-Ling Huang and Chien-Chang Fu

Fibers 2018, 6(4), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib6040073 - 28 Sep 2018

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 6149

Abstract

Textile pilling causes an undesirable appearance on the surface of garments, which is a long-standing problem. In this study, textile grading of fleece based on pilling assessment was performed using image processing and machine learning methods. Two image processing methods were used. The first method involved using the discrete Fourier transform combined with Gaussian filtering, and the second method involved using the Daubechies wavelet. Furthermore, binarization was used to segment the textile pilling from the background. Morphological and topological image processing methods were applied to extract the essential characteristics of textile image information to establish a database for the textile. Finally, machine learning methods, namely the artificial neural network (ANN) and the support vector machine (SVM), were used to objectively solve the textile grading problem. When the Fourier-Gaussian method was used, the classification accuracies of the ANN and SVM were 96.6% and 95.3%, and the overall accuracies of the Daubechies wavelet were 96.3% and 90.9%, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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12 pages, 3077 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Time-Efficient Dip Coating Technique for the Deposition of Microgels onto the Optical Fiber Tip

by Lorenzo Scherino, Martino Giaquinto, Alberto Micco, Anna Aliberti, Eugenia Bobeico, Vera La Ferrara, Menotti Ruvo, Armando Ricciardi and Andrea Cusano

Fibers 2018, 6(4), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib6040072 - 28 Sep 2018

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 7866

Abstract

The combination of responsive microgels and Lab-on-Fiber devices represents a valuable technological tool for developing advanced optrodes, especially useful for biomedical applications. Recently, we have reported on a fabrication method, based on the dip coating technique, for creating a microgels monolayer in a controlled fashion onto the fiber tip. In the wake of these results, with a view towards industrial applications, here we carefully analyze, by means of both morphological and optical characterizations, the effect of each fabrication step (fiber dipping, rinsing, and drying) on the microgels film properties. Interestingly, we demonstrate that it is possible to significantly reduce the duration (from 960 min to 31 min) and the complexity of the fabrication procedure, without compromising the quality of the microgels film at all. Repeatability studies are carried out to confirm the validity of the optimized deposition procedure. Moreover, the new procedure is successfully applied to different kinds of substrates (patterned gold and bare optical fiber glass), demonstrating the generality of our findings. Overall, the results presented in this work offer the possibility to improve of a factor ~30 the fabrication throughput of microgels-assisted optical fiber probes, thus enabling their possible exploitation in industrial applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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8 pages, 2187 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fluoropolymer-Wrapped Conductive Threads for Textile Touch Sensors Operating via the Triboelectric Effect

by Morgan Baima and Trisha L. Andrew

Fibers 2018, 6(2), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib6020041 - 11 Jun 2018

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6121

Abstract

Touch-sensitive electrical arrays are the primary user interface for modern consumer electronics. Most contemporary touch sensors, including known iterations of textile-based touch sensors, function by detecting capacitive changes within a circuit resulting from direct skin contact. However, this method of operation fails when the user’s skin or the surface of the touch sensor is dirty, oily or wet, preventing practical use of textile-based touch sensors in real-world scenarios. Here, an electrically touch-responsive woven textile is described, which is composed of fluoropolymer-wrapped conductive threads. The fluoropolymer wrapping prevents contaminant buildup on the textile surface and also electrically insulates the conductive thread core. The woven textile touch sensor operates via surface potential changes created upon skin contact. This method of operation, called the triboelectric effect, has not been widely used to create textile touch sensors, to date. The influences of surface wetness and varying skin surface chemistry are studied, and the triboelectric textile touch sensors are found to be advantageously insensitive to these environmental variables, indicating that triboelectric textiles have promise for practical use as touch interfaces in furniture and interior design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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Review

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46 pages, 8667 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Electrically Conductive Coatings for Fiber-Based E-Textiles

by Kony Chatterjee, Jordan Tabor and Tushar K. Ghosh

Fibers 2019, 7(6), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib7060051 - 01 Jun 2019

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 20589

Abstract

With the advent of wearable electronic devices in our daily lives, there is a need for soft, flexible, and conformable devices that can provide electronic capabilities without sacrificing comfort. Electronic textiles (e-textiles) combine electronic capabilities of devices such as sensors, actuators, energy harvesting and storage devices, and communication devices with the comfort and conformability of conventional textiles. An important method to fabricate such devices is by coating conventionally used fibers and yarns with electrically conductive materials to create flexible capacitors, resistors, transistors, batteries, and circuits. Textiles constitute an obvious choice for deployment of such flexible electronic components due to their inherent conformability, strength, and stability. Coating a layer of electrically conducting material onto the textile can impart electronic capabilities to the base material in a facile manner. Such a coating can be done at any of the hierarchical levels of the textile structure, i.e., at the fiber, yarn, or fabric level. This review focuses on various electrically conducting materials and methods used for coating e-textile devices, as well as the different configurations that can be obtained from such coatings, creating a smart textile-based system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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24 pages, 5057 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Actuator Materials: Review on Recent Advances and Future Outlook for Smart Textiles

by Dharshika Kongahage and Javad Foroughi

Fibers 2019, 7(3), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib7030021 - 11 Mar 2019

Cited by 60 | Viewed by 14987

Abstract

Smart textiles based on actuator materials are of practical interest, but few types have been commercially exploited. The challenge for researchers has been to bring the concept out of the laboratory by working out how to build these smart materials on an industrial scale and permanently incorporate them into textiles. Smart textiles are considered as the next frontline for electronics. Recent developments in advance technologies have led to the appearance of wearable electronics by fabricating, miniaturizing and embedding flexible conductive materials into textiles. The combination of textiles and smart materials have contributed to the development of new capabilities in fabrics with the potential to change how athletes, patients, soldiers, first responders, and everyday consumers interact with their clothes and other textile products. Actuating textiles in particular, have the potential to provide a breakthrough to the area of smart textiles in many ways. The incorporation of actuating materials in to textiles is a striking approach as a small change in material anisotropy properties can be converted into significant performance enhancements, due to the densely interconnected structures. Herein, the most recent advances in smart materials based on actuating textiles are reviewed. The use of novel emerging twisted synthetic yarns, conducting polymers, hybrid carbon nanotube and spandex yarn actuators, as well as most of the cutting–edge polymeric actuators which are deployed as smart textiles are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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14 pages, 2936 KiB

Open AccessReview

Review on Fabrication of Structurally Colored Fibers by Electrospinning

by Jiali Yu and Chi-Wai Kan

Fibers 2018, 6(4), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib6040070 - 26 Sep 2018

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6842

Abstract

Structural color derived from the physical interactions of photons, with the specific chromatic mechanism differing from that of dyes and pigments, has brought considerable attention by the conducive virtue of being dye-free and fadeless. This has recently become a research hot-spot. Assemblies of colloidal nanoparticles enable the manufacture of periodic photonic nanostructures. In our review, the mechanism of nanoparticle assemblies into structurally colored structures by the electrospinning method was briefly introduced, followed by a comparatively comprehensive review summarizing the research related to photonic crystals with periodically aligned nanostructures constructed by the assembly of colloidal nanoparticles, and the concrete studies concerning the fabrication of well-aligned electrospun nanofibers incorporating with colloidal nanoparticles based on the investigation of relevant factors such as the sizes of colloidal nanoparticles, the weight ratio between colloidal nanoparticles, and the polymer matrix. Electrospinning is expected to be a deserving technique for the fabrication of structurally colored nanofibers while the colloidal nanoparticles can be well confined into aligned arrangement inside nanofibres during the electrospinning process after the achievement of resolving remaining challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Coatings on Fibers and Textiles)

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