Nanotechnology: A driving force to produce future intelligent textile materials

摘要

Nanotechnology is a growing interdisciplinary technology often seen as a new industrial revolution. Nanotechnology deals with materials 1 to 100 nm in length. The fundamentals of nanotechnology lie in the fact that the properties of materials drastically change when their dimensions are reduced to nanometer scale. Nowadays also the textile industry has discovered the possibilities of nanotechnology. So, we can define nanotechnology in textile as the understanding, manipulation, and control of matter at the above-stated length, such that the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the materials can be engineered, synthesized, and altered to develop the intelligent materials, devices, structures, and systems. The unique properties of nanoparticles and nanofibres mean that they can be used to design fabrics with excellent mechanical strength, chemical resistance, water repellence, antibacterial properties, and a wealth of other properties which are unattainable by any other means. There is still a lot of research still to be done in this field, however. The different techniques needed to produce nano-enhanced textiles do not always fit well with existing manufacturing processes, leading to increased development costs. This can also affect issues like quality control, and homogeneity of nanoparticle dispersion through the fabric. There are also issues around the implications of nanoparticle exposure, for human health and the environment. A great deal of recent research has focused on this issue, but we are still some way away from a full understanding of the toxicological effects of the various kinds of nanoparticles which are already appearing in consumer products.