Next-Generation Textiles: Advancements in Functional Polymers for Sustainable, Smart and Health-Enhancing Fabrics

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Processing and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 1553

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
Interests: modeling; hazard simulation; PPE design and development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The role of textiles in occupational safety and health is pivotal, especially in the domain of personal protective equipment (PPE). Across diverse fields such as healthcare, the oil and gas industry, extreme weather operations, firefighting, and military service, the demand for advanced textiles that can provide enhanced protection against specific occupational hazards is increasing. These hazards range from exposure to harmful particulates and toxic gases in firefighting to biological threats in healthcare settings, and extreme environmental conditions faced by military personnel. The effectiveness of PPE, including garments, gloves, and masks, depends significantly on the functional properties of the textiles used in their construction.

This Special Issue "Next-Generation Textiles: Advancements in Functional Polymers for Sustainable, Smart and Health-Enhancing Fabrics," invites researchers to contribute original research articles, reviews, and case studies on the latest developments in functional polymers for textiles. The focus is on innovative materials that offer smart solutions, such as self-decontaminating surfaces, temperature regulation, and improved mechanical durability, while also prioritizing sustainability and environmental friendliness. Contributions may explore the synthesis and application of novel polymeric materials in textiles, advancements in nanotechnology and biotechnology for textile enhancement, and the development of smart fabrics that respond to environmental stimuli with applications in occupational safety and health.

Key topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Development and characterization of new polymers for enhanced PPE functionality.
  • Innovations in smart textiles that adapt to environmental changes or user needs, such as thermal regulation or moisture management.
  • Sustainable and eco-friendly materials for PPE, addressing the lifecycle and environmental impact of protective textiles.
  • Biocompatible and non-toxic polymeric materials for healthcare PPE, offering protection against viruses and bacteria.
  • Advanced textile technologies for improved durability, resistance, and performance in extreme conditions faced by oil and gas industry workers, military personnel, and others.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the critical role of functional polymers in advancing the next generation of textiles, focusing on sustainable, intelligent, and health-promoting properties. By bringing together the latest scientific and technological advancements, we seek to foster innovation in PPE development, contributing to enhanced occupational safety and health across various sectors.

Prof. Dr. Guowen Song
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • PPE
  • hazards
  • smart textiles
  • protective textiles

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 3750 KiB  
Article
Development of Innovative Composite Nanofiber: Enhancing Polyamide-6 with ε-Poly-L-Lysine for Medical and Protective Textiles
by Saloni Purandare, Rui Li, Chunhui Xiang and Guowen Song
Polymers 2024, 16(14), 2046; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16142046 - 17 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1123
Abstract
Polyamide-6 (PA) is a popular textile polymer having desirable mechanical and thermal properties, chemical stability, and biocompatibility. However, PA nanofibers are prone to bacterial growth and user discomfort. ε-Poly-L-lysine (PL) is non-toxic, antimicrobial, and hydrophilic but lacks spinnability due to its low molecular [...] Read more.
Polyamide-6 (PA) is a popular textile polymer having desirable mechanical and thermal properties, chemical stability, and biocompatibility. However, PA nanofibers are prone to bacterial growth and user discomfort. ε-Poly-L-lysine (PL) is non-toxic, antimicrobial, and hydrophilic but lacks spinnability due to its low molecular weight. Given its similar backbone structure to PA, with an additional amino side chain, PL was integrated with PA to develop multifunctional nanofibers. This study explores a simple, scalable method by which to obtain PL nanofibers by utilizing the structurally similar PA as the base. The goal was to enhance the functionality of PA by addressing its drawbacks. The study demonstrates spinnability of varying concentrations of PL with base PA while exploring compositions with higher PL concentrations than previously reported. Electrospinning parameters were studied to optimize the nanofiber properties. The effects of PL addition on morphology, hydrophilicity, thermal stability, mechanical performance, and long-term antimicrobial activity of nanofibers were evaluated. The maximum spinnable concentration of PL in PA-based nanofibers resulted in super hydrophilicity (0° static water contact angle within 10 s), increased tensile strength (1.02 MPa from 0.36 MPa of control), and efficient antimicrobial properties with long-term stability. These enhanced characteristics hold promise for the composite nanofiber’s application in medical and protective textiles. Full article
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