Fabrication of fast-absorbing and quick-drying wool fabrics with good washing durability

A Silver Yarn-Incorporated Song Brocade Fabric with Enhanced Electromagnetic Shielding

The fabrics with electromagnetic interference (EMI) have been used in various fields. However, most studies related to the EMI fabrics focused on the improvement of the final electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EM SE) by adjusting the preparation parameters while the breathability of the EMI fabrics was affected and the visible surficial patterns on the EMI fabric was limited. In this work, the two samples based on the Song Brocade structure were fabricated with surficial visible pattern ‘卐’. One was fabricated with silver-plated polyamide (Ag-PA) yarns and the silk yarns, the another with polyester (PET) yarns and the silk yarns. The weaving structure of the two samples were investigated by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and laser optical microscopy (LOM). The resistance against the EM radiation near field communication (NFC) and the ultraviolet (UV) light was also evaluated. Besides, the surface resistance, the air permeability and the water evaporation rate were investigated. The results revealed that the ‘卐’ appeared successfully on the surface of the two samples with stable weaving structure. The Ag-PA yarn-incorporated Song Brocade fabric had the EMI shielding effectiveness value around 50 dB, which was supported by the low surface resistance less than 40 Ω. The excellent NFC shielding of the Ag-PA yarn-incorporated Song Brocade was also found. The ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) value of the Ag-PA yarn-incorporated Song Brocade fabric was higher than 190. The air permeability and the evaporation rate of the Ag-PA yarn-incorporated Song Brocade fabric was higher than 99 mm/s, and 1.4 g/h, respectively. As a result, the Ag-PA yarn-incorporated Song Brocade fabrics were proposed for both the personal and the industrial scale utilization.

Enhancing Strength of Wool Fiber Using a Soy Flour Sugar-Based "Green" Cross-linker

This study presents the preparation and use of a "green" cross-linker derived from a waste soy flour sugar (SFS) mixture to cross-link keratin in wool fibers to increase their tensile properties. Earlier studies of keratin cross-linking involved chemicals such as glyoxal and glutaraldehyde that are toxic to humans. In addition, their effectiveness in improving tensile properties has been significantly lower than obtained in this study using modified SFS. Characterization of SFS using ¹³C NMR revealed the presence of five sugars having different molecular lengths. Oxidation of SFS using sodium periodate resulted in multiple aldehyde groups, as confirmed by ¹H NMR and attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR). The oxidized SFS (OSFS) when used to cross-link the amine groups from the wool keratin resulted in 36 and 56% increase in the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the fibers, respectively. These significant increases in strength and Young's modulus were a result of having multiple aldehyde groups on each sugar molecule as well as different molecular lengths of sugars, which favored cross-links of multiple lengths within the cortical cell matrix of wool fibers. The cross-linking between the aldehyde groups in OSFS and amine groups in wool fibers was confirmed using ATR-FTIR and from the color change resulting from the Maillard reaction as well as decrease in moisture absorption by the fibers. Stronger wool fibers can not only increase the efficiencies of wool fiber spinning and weaving and reduce yarn and fabric defects but can also allow spinning finer yarns from the same fibers. Oxidized sugars with optimum molecular lengths can be used to cross-link other biological proteins as well, replacing the currently used toxic cross-linkers.

Bio-Inspired Polymeric Structures with Special Wettability and Their Applications: An Overview

It is not unusual for humans to be inspired by natural phenomena to develop new advanced materials; such materials are called bio-inspired materials. Interest in bio-inspired polymeric superhydrophilic, superhydrophobic, and superoleophobic materials has substantially increased over the last few decades, as has improvement in the related technologies. This review reports the latest developments in bio-inspired polymeric structures with desired wettability that have occurred by mimicking the structures of lotus leaf, rose petals, and the wings and shells of various creatures. The intrinsic role of surface chemistry and structure on delivering superhydrophilicity, superhydrophobicity, and superoleophobicity has been extensively explored. Typical polymers, commonly used structures, and techniques involved in developing bio-inspired surfaces with desired wettability are discussed. Additionally, the latest applications of bio-inspired structures with desired wettability in human activities are also introduced.

Programming surface morphology of TiO2 hollow spheres and their superhydrophilic films

Long-term stable superhydrophilic films without UV irradiation consisting of hierarchical raspberrylike metal-ion-doped TiO(2) hollow spheres were fabricated by a simple spinning-coat method. The hierarchical surface morphology of metal-ion-doped TiO(2) hollow spheres can be programmed from "smooth", "moderate roughness" to "roughness" by adjusting the molar ratio of Co(2+) ions to Zn(2+) ions. Our results show that the substitution Co(2+) and Zn(2+) for Ti(4+) has effect on the phase transformation from anatase to rutile and further lead to different papillas on the surface of hollow nanospheres. And their films consisting of corresponding hollow nanospheres can be controlled from hydrophilic to superhydrophilic: 28, 7, and 0°. Therefore, our works open an avenue to design hierarchical surface morphology of nanospheres and further fabricate antifogging superhydrophilic films.