A new 3D ink printing process has been developed which paves the way for more versatile and comfortable smart wearables.
Researchers from Washington State University have demonstrated the technology for creating “smart fabrics” that continued to perform well after repeated washings and abrasion tests.
Textile researcher Hang Liu said smart fabrics were an emerging trend, offering the promise of clothing items that could perform some of the same tasks as smart watches and other such devices.
Associate Professor Lui said the technology had the potential for applications in health care, for first responders, in the military and for athletes.
She said the bulk of research in the field so far had focused on building technological functions into fabrics, without attention to the way fabrics might feel, fit, and endure through regular use and maintenance, such as washing.
“The materials used, or the technology used, generally produce very rigid or stiff fabrics.
“If you are wearing a T-shirt with 3D printed material, for example, for sensing purposes, you want this shirt to fit snugly on your body and be flexible and soft.
“If it is stiff, it will not be comfortable and the sensing performance will be compromised.”
Associate Professor Lui said the team’s research represented a breakthrough in smart fabric comfort and durability, as well as using a process that was more environmentally friendly.
She said there process used direct ink writing 3D printing technology to print solutions of polybutylene succinate, a biodegradable polyester that was compatible with natural fibres, containing carbon nanotubes onto two types of fabric.
“The printed fabrics showed excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, gauge factor and stability under repeated strains, and the solution’s ability to penetrate and bond with fibres gave the fabrics an enhanced washability and resistance to abrasion.”
Read the full study: Flexible and Durable Direct Ink Writing 3D-Printed Conductive Fabrics for Smart Wearables.
