Importance and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes in Textiles
Md. Amir Khasru
B.Sc. in Textile Engineering
Department of Yarn Engineering, SARSTEC
Email: santo.amirkhasru2002@gmail.com
Introduction:
Carbon nanotube is a carbon tube material having nanodiameter. It’s length-to-diameter ratio is more than 1,000,000 and used in nanotechnology, material science, wearable electronic application, biotechnology, polymer, composite, and textile industries for its electromechanical and thermal properties and structural flexibility. In short, carbon nanotube is known as CNT, the most renewable nanomaterial in the world. In textile processing, the CNT core yarn influences the mechanical and electrical resistance properties. It could be sustained for 30 washing cycles without degradation. Advanced apparel, sportswear, heating, equipment, automotive textiles, building coverings, geo-textiles, and biomedical textiles are the fields where CNT could be used, as found in the recent research.
Figure 1: CNTs Yarn of Galvorn
History of smart fabrics like carbon nanotubes in textiles: In 1990s communication, transformation and energy conduction are designed in smart fabrics to keeping body hot or cool depends on environment. The medical friendly fabrics are already used to monitor body temperature, heart rate, or other vital signs and also different types of health warning live observed. Flow of smart fabrics revolution are below;
1st Generation: Sensors are included in smart textiles to collect information about body.
2nd Generation: Actuators added with sensors in smart fabrics which can easily control temperature & heat and can memorize the shape.
3rd Generation: Computerized ultra-smart fabrics. Which works with the help of artificial intelligence. AI analysis the data from smart textiles and make the materials fit required external conditions.
What are carbon nanotubes (CNTs)? CNT is one allotrope of carbon. A hollow tube made up of carbon in nanoscale diameter is known as a carbon nanotube. Carbon nanotubes, also known as CNTs and buckytubes. It’s formed by folding or rolling two-dimensional graphite. Cylindrical in shape and 1-3 nanometers of tube diameter.
Figure 2: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) Fabric of galvorn
Properties of carbon nanotube material (CNT):
Extraordinary mechanical strength.
Stiff material as a diamond.
CNTs gravitational weight is very low.
The density of CNTs is high.
CNTs are stronger compared to others and it is 10 times stronger than steels.
Main structural bonds of CNTs atoms are covalent bond. The crystalline structure are also seen in the carbon nanotubes structures.
Unique electrical properties.
Efficient heat conductivity. It has a high thermal capacity and 20 times than steel. On the other hand, it is does not expand on heating like that of steel.
Fullerene structural properties.
Derived from long and hollow shape.
Nano diameter of tube.
CNTs materials are show elastic properties.
CNTs are neutral in chemical properties and chemically stable. It also resist corrosion. Young’s modulus is high and it around 1 terra pascal.
Lighter in weight and ½ the weight of aluminum.
Categories of carbon nanotube material (CNT):
Single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs)
Double-walled nanotubes (DWNT)
Multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs)
Carbon nanotubes fiber in textiles:
Carbon nanotubes has a wide area of application in textiles for it’s extra-ordinary properties. Medicine, nano-technology, electronics, construction, polymer and textile are the main field of application. It may be applicable in energy storage device, actuators, nanoprobes, composites materials, hydrogen storage, electronic device, catalysis and sensor. In recent study, carbon nanotubes are possible to produce update version of the smart textiles and fabrics.
Conductive textiles:
Conductivity is an important property for a material. Graphene, carbon black, and carbon nanotubes can have a wide range of conductivities. Since CNT is one of the allotropes, that’s why it can easily work as a conductor. The conductivity level of a material totally depends on the purity of the carbon compounds. In recent studies, several methods had been invented to produce CNT fibers and smart textiles from CNTs.
Figure 3: CNTs sensor of galvorn
Wearable sensors:
In modern science and health technology, Medical science invented too many sensors to monitor health conditions of men. In the developed countries, they used to test their health regularly. Scientist thought, what if they use light weight wearable sensors to monitor human body live and send alarm if any damage. Soft robotics, human motion detection, rehabilitation and health monitoring by connecting CNT fiber-based sensors with biological tissues. Foroughi developed knitted MWCNT sheet on spandex which stability up to 1000 cycles and up to 900% stretchability. Ryu developed a wearable and highly stretchable human motion detector device from dry-spun Carbon nanotube. This human motion detector sensor have repeatability up to 10,000 cycles and portable lightweight. The sensor couldcapture the movement of the wrist. Wearable clothes with sensors gather accurate EKG and hart rate and analysis with database.
Figure 4: Flexible cloths of CNT for accurate EKG, heart rate
Wearable thermal sensor:
Having both metallic and nonmetallic properties in CNT fiber, it may be used for thermal sensor. Sometimes, CNT fibers works as semiconductor device depending on temperature increase-decrease. When temperature decrease CNT fibers behave as semiconductors. CNTs fiber mainly analysis body temperature with standard body database. To prevent any types of difficulties which responsible for temperature decrease or increase CNTs fiber based wearable thermal sensor play a vital role. With the help of CNT based smart textile clothes, we can easily save a human life with emergency alarm or signals.
Figure 5: CNT fiber Temperature sensing
Wearable biochemical sensor:
The world environment is polluting regularly, and impurities enter the food. In recent studies, electrochemical sensors have been developed for food safety, optical sensors for heavy metal detection, and an effective virus detection device. Wearable biochemical sensors are used to monitor human body health conditions. Their role is to detect early stages of causing heart diseases, rapid detection of the human papilloma virus, ete. In cancer and drug discovery, fluorescent biosensors are used. In the defense, clinical sector, marine application, and plant biology sector, CNT fibers may be used.
Figure 6: E-textiles with chemical sensing
How biochemical sensor work?
Biochemical sensor is used to translate biological signals into electrical signal. Biosensor with cloths collect regular biological data of body and covert into electrical signals. After comparing electrical signals with standard database biochemical sensors give different types of signals.
Ballistic armor from carbon nanotube fibers:
Carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber have high mechanical strength, light weight, high conductivity and so on mechanical properties. Having extra ordinary mechanical properties CNT are used in ballistic armor. Ballistic armor is used to prevent the bullet from passing through the material entirely. In general, a bullet directs impact on a surface by putting a lot of kinetic energy into a very small package. There will be a strong force concentration where the bullet strikes. Bulletproof vests are used to direct the bullet’s kinetic energy into the overall body surface, which prevents high energy in small areas.
Figure 7: CNT armor
Conclusion:
In modern world, the demands of E-Textile and smart-textile is increasing rapidly for it’s extraordinary properties. Smart textiles made of carbon nanotubes fibers help people in daily activities with extra convenience, regular heartbeat monitor, body temperature control, blood pressure control, virus bacteria, etc. In the future, the demand for carbon nanotubes fiber will increase greatly in the competition to meet the additional needs of people.
CARBON NANOTUBE FIBERS AND YARNS Production, Properties,and Applications in Smart Textiles Edited by MENGHE MIAO (The Textile Institute Book Series) Woodhead publications
Structure and Properties of High-Performance Fibers Edited by Gajanan Bhat (The Textile Institute Book Series) Woodhead publications
Nanofibers and nanotechnology in textiles Edited byP. J. Brown and K. Stevens(The Textile Institute Book Series) Woodhead publications
Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. Mr. Kiron is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.
