A novel smart cloth created by University of Waterloo researchers has the potential to completely transform wearable technology by producing electricity from body heat. Body heat and sunshine may both be converted into electricity by this fabric, doing away with the need for large batteries. The end product is a stretchable, comfortable material with multiple uses that might power and improve a range of applications, including as environmental sensing and health monitoring.
Under the direction of Professor Yuning Li of the Department of Chemical Engineering, the research team successfully integrated state-of-the-art textile production techniques with cutting-edge materials like MXene and conductive polymers. Because of their high electrical conductivity and flexibility, conductive polymers and MXenes are well-suited for use in smart fabric applications. The scientists produced a surface that attracts MXene particles through hydrogen bonds by adding a sticky polydopamine (PDA) layer to the nylon fabric. This produced a stretchable thermoelectric fabric. When inserted in a mask, this fabric uses the temperature differential between the body and the environment to convert body heat into electricity, allowing for precise respiration rate monitoring.
The functionality of the smart fabric can further be enhanced when combined with sensors to enable monitoring of heart rate, temperature, and even chemical detection in breath hence found suitable for continuous acquisition and monitoring in: health surveillance, storage of food and pharmaceuticals and environmental monitoring.
Professor Li pointed out where this technology could go by saying, “This work presents a major step towards the realization of applications for smart fabrics.” The researchers stress that the novel fabric developed is more stable, durable, and cost-effective compared to what is available at this time, which deems it a good option in the future for wearable technology. The authors intend further improving fabric performance and combining them with electronic components creating an Android application for continuous non-invasive method to monitor health parameter and thereby sending information directly to healthcare providers.