A New Era for Smart Textiles
In the world of textiles, new innovations are taking place every now and then. In our previous blog, we spoke about electronic textiles and their widespread popularity. Along the same lines is another speciality in the fabrics industry called conductive textiles or conductive fabrics. Even regular fabrics such as cotton, wool and silk have undergone technological advancements. This remarkable innovation combines functionality with style. The materials possess unique characteristics owing to which they’re widely used in an array of industries including fashion, healthcare, technology and sports. It’s also ideal for wearables, e-textiles and soft circuitry.
What are Conductive Fabrics
As the name implies, conductive fabrics are textiles that are coated or woven with conductive materials. This allows them to conduct electricity. Despite having electrical conductivity, they still retain other properties of a regular fabric including flexibility, durability and comfort. A few applications of conductive fabrics include smart textiles, wearable technology and electromagnetic shielding. Unlike traditional fabrics, conductive fabrics are able to sense and respond to changes in the environment. The various stimuli they interact with can be mechanical, thermal, magnetic, electrical and optical. This is achieved by incorporating conductive elements into the fabric structure. Metal fibers and conductive polymers improve the performance. Conductive fabrics can be created in multiple ways. The most preferred way of doing it is with a metallic coating. To make a fabric conductive, it is coated with a metal layer including silver, copper and nickel. Another way of doing it is by blending the yarns with conductive materials.
Characteristics of Conductive Fabrics
As a fashion designer, weaver, knitter and textile artist, knowing the characteristics of conductive fabrics can go a long way. It bridges the gap between fashion and engineering, and creates an all-new breed of fashion technologists. The top characteristics are as follows:
Electrical Conductivity
The most obvious characteristic of conductive fabrics is that it can conduct electricity. These fabrics usually exhibit low resistance owing to which it can effectively transmit signals. Fabrics with electrical conductivity are used in the making of wearable technology and for electromagnetic shielding.
Breathability and Comfort
There is a common misconception that conductive fabrics usually compromise on breathability and comfort. However, that’s far from true. Thanks to advancements in textile engineering, conductive fabrics just like traditional fabrics are equally comfortable and breathable. In the medical, healthcare and sports apparel industry, this property is of paramount importance.
Highly Flexible
Conductive fabrics are designed in such a way that they’re super flexible. They can easily be moulded into different shapes and movements. Smart clothing generally needs to be comfortable and stretchable. A major advantage of conductive fabrics is that they possess remarkable durability. They can withstand repeated use and maintain functionality.
Sensing Capabilities
As mentioned earlier, conductive fabrics respond exceptionally to external stimuli. All you need to do is integrate sensors into fabric structure. A few parameters textiles can detect are moisture, temperature and pressure. Athletes and patients with medical history are usually seen wearing smart textiles. The sensing capability can monitor vital signs, heartbeat and track movement.
Conductive Fabric Uses
Conductive fabrics are super versatile and customisable. This allows designers to tailor the fabric according to specific requirements. Owing to the fabric structure of conductive materials, they’re used across a gamut of industries. They’re used to make products such as meal meshes, aerospace textiles, vests, threads, yarns, fabric sheets for thermal heating, and so on.
The application of conductive fabrics in detail are as follows:
Wearable technology
Conductive fabrics spearhead the wearable technology revolution. With the integration of sensors and actuators into clothing, health parameters of the individuals wearing them can be monitored. For a sportsperson, physical activity can be tracked and even electronic devices can be charged. Conductive fabrics are surely redefining the way we interact with clothing. A few examples of smart clothing include fitness trackers and temperature-regulating jackets.
E-textiles
E-textiles combine electronics and textiles to create fabrics. They’re usually integrated with electronic components including LEDs, wires and microcontrollers. Their primary use is to build circuits.
Electromagnetic shielding
In a few industries, unwanted electric signals can hamper operations. In such cases, electromagnetic shielding is of paramount importance. The industries include aerospace, defense and telecommunications. Conductive fabrics shield against electromagnetic interference (EMI). They help in safeguarding electronic devices. The use-cases include protective garments, enclosures and curtains.
Healthcare
In the healthcare industry, conductive fabrics are invaluable. Wearable sensors are used to monitor a patient’s heart rate, smart bandages can predict wound healing and electrodes are ideal for non-invasive medical procedures. Research is also being conducted for the antimicrobial properties of conductive fabrics. This can prevent infections as well as improve patient outcomes.
Heating Elements
Certain conductive fabrics are specially designed to efficiently transfer heat. They are engineered to have high thermal conductivity and thus they’re referred to as thermal conductive fabrics. Since they’re integrated with heating elements, they are used in blankets, heated clothing and other applications where the temperature needs to be controlled.
Conclusion
The future of conductive fabrics looks promising. With new technological advances happening every now and then, the use-case is only set to increase. Designers who’ve completed fashion and apparel design courses are exploring ways in which the fabric can be used. It has surely bridged the gap between fashion, technology and engineering. Consumers can surely anticipate a future where clothing will enhance their lives in unprecedented ways.
