Smart textiles - bridging humanities and technology in a material

1. Nils-Krister Persson PhD
ass. Professor, docent
head of Smart Textiles
Technology Lab
Swedish School of
Textiles, University of
Borås,
nils-

2. Textile is unique among classes of man-
made materials

3. Textile and textile community creates
problem
Textile and textile processing provides
solutions

4. If textiles did not exist…

5. If textiles did not exist…
All humans wear textiles:
100% market
coverage
There has been no culture
ever not having textiles
Textiles is ever present
24-7 in human life:
20 min 1.39 % is
textileless

6. If textiles did not exist…
All humans wear textiles:
100% market
coverage
There has been no culture
ever not having textiles
Textiles is ever present
24-7 in human life:
20 min 1.39 % is
textileless
▪ Create 2D surfaces -
cheap and with
precision
▪ Obtain lightweight
materials
▪ 2D continuity
▪ Cover large and small
objects (mm)2 to (km)2
▪ Interfaces
▪ Drape
▪ Create flexible function
▪ Handle (1D) strength
▪ Create distance
▪ Create porous layers
▪ Create dense layer
▪ Express aesthetics
▪ Patterns - periodic
▪ Create high tensile
strength

7. I. Textile is the class of material closest to humans

8. Technosph
ere
• synthetic, artificial,
man-made realm
• System
• Functions
• Artefacts
Biospher
e
• the totality of
biological matter
• system
• functions
• biofacts

9. Characteristics of biofacts and “nature as
a manufacturer”
The way technology address these items
Biological materials are made from one or
both of two polymers: proteins
(poly(amino acids)) and polysaccharides
(polymers mostly of six-carbon sugars or
hexoses).
For plastic a very large number of polymers have
been synthesis showing a wide spectrum of
properties. Besides metal and metal alloys,
ceramics, glass are used
Fluxes of energy, info and materials Fluxes of energy, info and materials
Waterbased chemistry Water is used in industrial processes but also a
spectrum of hazardous solvents
Structures are often hierarchical Sometimes hierarchical
Self-assembly Top-down such as drilling, cutting, sawing -
subtractive manufacturing
Bottom up Top-down
Rounded surfaces Typical sharp, square, surfaces; triangles
Flexibility, pliability Rigid, hard
Soft matter (exceptions include teeth) Hard (metals, synthetic diamonds and alike)
Adaption (sometimes tropism, or on long
term : migration)
Artefacts are dead, just recently “smart”
materials have appeared
Recyclable and degradable Deposition, just recently recycling
Fibres i.e. prolonged structures common Rods, tubes, pillars, all stiff are common
Composites Composites
Porous, Often impermeable sides for protection
water beneficial in fluxes and processes water destructive
Periodicity on some scale Materials both and without periodicity exist
Comparison of biofacts from a material point of view and counterparts in techne, and,
in mid column textile matching indicated by X
Comparing the artificial, biofacts and textiles

10. Characteristics of biofacts and “nature as
a manufacturer”
The way technology address these items
Biological materials are made from one or
both of two polymers: proteins
(poly(amino acids)) and polysaccharides
(polymers mostly of six-carbon sugars or
hexoses).
X For plastic a very large number of polymers have
been synthesis showing a wide spectrum of
properties. Besides metal and metal alloys,
ceramics, glass are used
Fluxes of energy, info and materials Fluxes of energy, info and materials
Waterbased chemistry Water is used in industrial processes but also a
spectrum of hazardous solvents
Structures are often hierarchical X Sometimes hierarchical
Self-assembly X Top-down such as drilling, cutting, sawing -
subtractive manufacturing
Bottom up X Top-down
Rounded surfaces X Typical sharp, square, surfaces; triangles
Flexibility, pliability X Rigid, hard
Soft matter (exceptions include teeth) X Hard (metals, synthetic diamonds and alike)
Adaption (sometimes tropism, or on long
term : migration)
Artefacts are dead, just recently “smart”
materials have appeared
Recyclable and degradable X Deposition, just recently recycling
Fibres i.e. prolonged structures common Rods, tubes, pillars, all stiff are common
Composites X Composites
Porous, X Often impermeable sides for protection
water beneficial in fluxes and processes water destructive
Periodicity on some scale X Materials both and without periodicity exist
Comparison of biofacts from a material point of view and counterparts in techne, and,
in mid column textile matching indicated by X
Comparing the artificial, biofacts and textiles

11. II. Textile is the class of material closest to Nature

12. STATUS
IDENTITY
BELONGING

13. BEE SEEN
IDENTIFY
INCLU-
EXCLUSION

14. ESTETICS
CULTURE
ZEIT GEIST

15. SEX
GENDER
SEXUALITY

16. AGE
POWER
OCCUPATION

17. III. Textile is the class of material closest to EMOTIONS

18. Textile is unique among classes of man-
made materials

19. I. Textile is the class of material closest to humans
II. Textile is the class of material closest to Nature
III. Textile is the class of material closest to EMOTIONS and
Mental states

20. Smart Textiles
- For a better world through textile innovation

21. The largest resource for
textile research in Northern
Europe
Full scale equipment
Yarn spinning
Weaving
Knitting
Textile printing
Coating
Sewing
Borås, Sweden
¨The Textile Centre
of Sweden¨

22. Health and Medicine Architecture and InteriorSustainable Textiles
Smart Textiles

23. CLEAN, ACCESSIBLE WATER
ENSURING HEALTHY LIVES
THE POWER OF SUSTAINABLE
ENERGY
RUNNING OUT OF RAW
MATERIALS
THE BRIDGE

24. Textiles do adress all
these
some quick examples from us

25. Clean, Accessible Water

26. Clean, Accessible Water
Xia Huang, Yaobin Meng, Peng Liang, Yi Qian
Operational conditions of a membrane filtration reactor coupled with
photocatalytic oxidation Separation and Purification Technology
Volume 55, Issue 2, 15 June 2007,
P 165–172
?
fixed bed reactors slurry reactors
Remediation (water) reactors - the basic
constructions
Figure of
merit=Ac /Ap
Ac total area
coated
Ac projected area

27. Clean, Accessible Water
Xia Huang, Yaobin Meng, Peng Liang, Yi Qian
Operational conditions of a membrane filtration reactor coupled with
photocatalytic oxidation Separation and Purification Technology
Volume 55, Issue 2, 15 June 2007,
P 165–172
?
fixed bed reactors slurry reactorsfluffy
Remediation (water) reactors - the basic
constructions
Textile
characterization
s:
Softness, pliability
Drapability
Cuttable
Foldable
Possible to roll up
Transportable
Covering
Large area systems 2D
Thinness
Low weight
Cheap, repeatable
Mature technology
Culturally accepted
Figure of
merit=Ac /Ap
Ac total area
coated
Ac projected area

28. Clean, Accessible Water

29. Clean, Accessible Water
Biosorption of Artificial wetland
fabrics. Copper concentration in
the surrounding solution versus
time using Atomic Absorption
Spectrometer, AAS.

30. Clean, Accessible Water
• Textiles as a basic for water purification
• Targeting
-Microorganisms
-Metals
• Large area
• Simplicity
• Eco perspective
• Merging textiles and life science
• Waste water, storm water, deposits,
remediation

31. Ensuring Healthy Lives
Question
Supporting Medicine&Care sector
for enhanced care demand
Medical textiles as enabler for
selfempowerment
Target
Patient suffering from spacticity
Electrostimulation of muscles
Result
Available product on the
Scandinatvian market.
Through the cooperation
Electrodress has access to
possible producers.
Deeper research projects together
with researchers from the
University of Boras financed by KK
stiftelsen.
I. Textile is the class of material closest to humans

32. Ensuring Healthy Lives
Question
Supporting Medicine&Care sector
for enhanced care demand
Medical textiles as enabler for
selfempowerment
Target
Patient suffering from spacticity
Electrostimulation of muscles
Result
Available product on the
Scandinavian market.
Through the cooperation
Electrodress has access to
possible producers.
Deeper research projects together
with researchers from the
University of Boras financed by KK
stiftelsen.
I. Textile is the class of material closest to humans

33. The Power Of Sustainable
Energy
• Small solar panels
100mW/cm2 in direct sunlight and
100μW/cm2 in indirect light.
• Thermoelectric devices
10 mW/cm2 furnace exhaust stack.
10μW/cm2 body heat
•Piezoelectric elements
100μW/cm2 depending on their size and
construction.
• RF energy harvesting
100pW/cm2
Energy
harvesting:
•light,
•heat differentials
•vibrating beams
•transmitted RF
signals

34. The Power Of Sustainable
Energy
• Small solar panels
100mW/cm2 in direct sunlight and
100μW/cm2 in indirect light.
• Thermoelectric devices
10 mW/cm2 furnace exhaust stack.
10μW/cm2 body heat
•Piezoelectric elements
100μW/cm2 depending on their size and
construction.
• RF energy harvesting
100pW/cm2
Energy
harvesting:
•light,
•heat differentials
•vibrating beams
•transmitted RF
signals

35. The Power Of Sustainable
Energy
Piezoelectricity - electricity or electric polarity due
to pressure especially in a crystalline substance
Encyclopedia Britannica

36. Focus shoe/sole/
sock
▪ (relative) stability
▪ fix structures neareby
▪ periodicity in patterns
▪ “textilization” possible
▪ short wiring distances
▪ Basal area for human
movement
▪ Important for most
sports
▪ Breddidrott – event
organizers
STEPS Smart Textiles Evaluation
Platform for Socks
The Power Of Sustainable
Energy

37. Running Out Of Raw
Materials

38. Running Out Of Raw
Materials
The Gap
Peak Cotton
Fossil based raw
materials
Environment and CSR

39. Running Out Of Raw
Materials
The Gap
World population = world demand
World fibre production capability
year
The Gap

40. Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Peak Cotton- Food vs cotton
- Fresh water issue
- Pesticide spread

41. Then, what are we
doing?
Running Out Of Raw
Materials

42. New feedstock
Re:
Running Out Of Raw
Materials

43. Running Out Of Raw
Materials
New feedstock
Paper textile

44. 5 kg 3 kg
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
New feedstock
Peak Cotton,
really…?

45. Running Out Of Raw
Materials
New feedstock
From a pair
of jeans to
the YELLOW
SHIRT
The world
first
chemically
recycled
cotton
garment
Project: Den gula klänningen
by: Lena-Marie Jensen, SKS,
KTH Re:newcell AB,
GreenHouse Labs
Recycled textile fibres

46. Running Out Of Raw
Materials
New feedstock From
cellulose to
the
WHITE
ONEPIECE
Swedish
pulp 90%
and10%
Re:newcell
Project: Textiles
back to textiles
Wood cellulose based
textile

47. CO2
One of the most severe problems whatsoever
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
New feedstock

48. …-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-…
This is what is needed
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
New feedstock

49. New feedstock?
AIR!?
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
New feedstock

50. Project: Made from
Air
Dedicated Institute, Smart Textiles, Swedish
School of Textiles
climate neutral textiles climate POSITIVE
textiles
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
New feedstock

51. Re:
-Reuse, reduce,
recycle
-Resource focused
- ”Det glömda och gömda” - Waste
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Re:

52. Re:
For the textile
community: Redesign,
refresh, repair, redo
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Re:

53. Re:
- Textile is a material class that is possible to
work with
- Slöjd in school
- Artist in shops (co-creation)
- Transparent value chains
- Empower the industry
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Running Out Of Raw
Materials
Re:

54. Welcome! Contact: smarttextiles@hb.se
Smart Textiles
Showroom