Perspective - (2025) Volume 15, Issue 2
Received: 03-Mar-2025, Manuscript No. jtese-25-172799;
Editor assigned: 05-Mar-2025, Pre QC No. P-172799;
Reviewed: 19-Mar-2025, QC No. Q-172799;
Revised: 24-Mar-2025, Manuscript No. R-172799;
Published:
31-Mar-2025
, DOI: 10.37421/2165-8064.2025.15.645
Citation: Tremblay, Louis. ”Future Textiles: Active, Intelligent Systems.” J Textile Sci Eng 15 (2025):645.
Copyright: © 2025 Tremblay L. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
This review explores advanced polymer composite fabrics for high-performance protective gear. These materials use unique polymer matrices and reinforcing fibers for superior mechanical strength, impact resistance, and thermal stability. Fabrication techniques and material combinations are crucial for military armor, sports equipment, and industrial safety applications[1].
Progress in flexible textile sensors for wearable health monitoring is significant. Innovative materials and fabrication enable accurate, comfortable detection of physiological signals, from heart rate tracking to movement analysis, integrating sensing elements directly into fabric structures[2].
Research focuses on breathable, yet waterproof fabrics created using electrospun membranes. The nanofiber structure gives excellent water resistance and vapor permeability, balancing these critical properties for outdoor wear and protective clothing where comfort and function matter[3].
Sustainable, high-performance self-cleaning textiles with enhanced durability are under development. Surface modification methods, utilizing photocatalytic or superhydrophobic effects, enable fabrics to repel dirt and stains, maintaining aesthetic and functional qualities with environmentally friendly approaches[4].
The integration of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) into textiles enhances thermal comfort. PCMs absorb and release latent heat to regulate body temperature, offering dynamic thermal insulation for sportswear and bedding, though durability remains a challenge[5].
A straightforward method creates highly stretchable, conductive fabrics via silver nanowire deposition. These materials achieve excellent electrical conductivity even under strain, ideal for next-generation wearable electronics, flexible sensors, smart garments, and integrated circuits[6].
Advancements in UV-protective textiles cover materials, mechanisms, and applications shielding against harmful ultraviolet radiation. Strategies include UV absorbers, reflective coatings, and specific fiber structures, emphasizing protection efficacy and comfort for outdoor activities and daily wear[7].
Recent progress in antimicrobial textiles is crucial for hygiene and infection control. Various agents and application methods inhibit microbial growth on fabrics for medical settings and sportswear, balancing efficacy, durability, and environmental safety[8].
Flame retardant high-performance fiber-reinforced polymer composites are vital for safety-sensitive uses. Innovative additives and treatment methods enhance fire resistance without compromising mechanical integrity, improving fire safety in construction, aerospace, and transportation[9].
Wearable triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) use high-performance fabrics for self-powered sensing. These fabric-based devices efficiently harvest mechanical energy from motion, converting it into electrical power to integrate into smart textiles for continuous, autonomous health and environmental monitoring[10].
The field of advanced textiles is rapidly evolving, driven by the demand for enhanced functionality, protection, and sustainability across various sectors. Developments include advanced polymer composite fabrics that provide superior mechanical strength, impact resistance, and thermal stability for demanding applications like military armor, sports equipment, and industrial safety. These materials leverage unique polymer matrices and reinforcing fibers, with fabrication techniques playing a critical role in their performance [1]. Parallel advancements focus on improving fire safety through flame retardant high-performance fiber-reinforced polymer composites, where innovative additives and treatment methods enhance fire resistance without compromising mechanical integrity. Such materials are crucial for construction, aerospace, and transportation [9].
Significant strides are being made in smart and wearable textiles, particularly for health monitoring and electronics integration. Flexible textile sensors, made from innovative materials and fabrication methods, can accurately detect physiological signals. These sensors are integrated directly into fabric structures, ensuring high accuracy and comfort for applications ranging from continuous heart rate tracking to complex movement analysis [2]. Further expanding wearable technology, highly stretchable and conductive fabrics are being created using facile deposition of silver nanowires. These materials maintain excellent electrical conductivity even under significant strain, making them ideal for next-generation wearable electronics, flexible sensors, smart garments, and integrated circuits [6]. Supplementing these, wearable triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are being developed, utilizing high-performance fabrics to harvest mechanical energy from human motion and environmental vibrations. These self-powered systems promise continuous, autonomous health and environmental monitoring, reducing reliance on external batteries [10].
Innovations also address environmental factors and wearer comfort. Research focuses on creating breathable yet waterproof fabrics using electrospun membranes. These materials balance excellent water resistance with vapor permeability, essential for outdoor wear and protective clothing where both comfort and function are paramount [3]. For enhanced thermal comfort, Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are integrated into textiles. PCMs absorb and release latent heat to regulate body temperature, providing dynamic thermal insulation suitable for sportswear and bedding, though challenges in ensuring their durability and performance persist [5].
Beyond immediate comfort, textiles are being engineered for long-term hygiene and protection. Recent progress in antimicrobial textiles is vital for infection control, discussing various agents, application methods, and their mechanisms in inhibiting microbial growth on fabrics. These are crucial for diverse applications, from medical settings to sportswear, balancing efficacy, material durability, and environmental safety [8]. Furthermore, advanced UV-protective textiles are developed to shield against harmful ultraviolet radiation. These include strategies like UV absorbers, reflective coatings, and specific fiber structures, emphasizing protection efficacy and comfort for daily wear and outdoor activities [7]. In terms of sustainability, self-cleaning textiles with improved durability are explored. These textiles use surface modification methods to repel dirt and stains via photocatalytic or superhydrophobic effects, focusing on environmentally friendly approaches and the long-term effectiveness of such treatments [4].
Recent advancements in textile science have brought about a new generation of high-performance fabrics with diverse functionalities. Researchers are developing advanced polymer composite fabrics that offer superior mechanical strength, impact resistance, and thermal stability for protective gear in military, sports, and industrial safety applications. This progress includes flexible textile sensors integrated into wearable health monitoring systems, capable of accurately tracking physiological signals such as heart rate and movement. Beyond protection and sensing, materials scientists are creating breathable, waterproof fabrics using electrospun membranes, striking a balance between water resistance and vapor permeability for outdoor and protective clothing. Efforts are also focused on sustainable, self-cleaning textiles that repel dirt and stains through photocatalytic or superhydrophobic surface modifications, ensuring long-term durability and aesthetic appeal. For thermal comfort, Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are being integrated into textiles to regulate body temperature dynamically, benefiting sportswear and bedding. The field of smart textiles is expanding with highly stretchable and conductive fabrics, made with materials like silver nanowires, which are essential for next-generation wearable electronics, flexible sensors, and integrated circuits. Furthermore, advancements in UV-protective textiles provide crucial shielding against harmful radiation, important for outdoor activities. Antimicrobial textiles are also evolving, offering enhanced hygiene and infection control for medical and athletic wear, while flame retardant fiber-reinforced polymer composites are improving fire safety in critical sectors. Finally, wearable triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are emerging as self-powered sensing systems, harvesting mechanical energy from human motion to power continuous health and environmental monitoring without external batteries. This collective research points to a future where textiles are not just coverings, but active, intelligent, and protective systems.
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Journal of Textile Science & Engineering received 1008 citations as per Google Scholar report
