Scientists have developed a coating that turns fabrics into electrical circuits. The technology could lead to production of lightweight clothes that can generate power using body movements.
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the US have invented a way to apply breathable, pliable, metal-free electrodes to fabric and off-the-shelf clothing which does not compromise the feel of the fabric and also produces enough electricity to power small electronics.
Powered fabrics could be potentially useful to military and healthcare industries as it could also allow the monitoring of health data.
Generating small electric currents through relative movement of layers is called triboelectric charging. Materials can become electrically charged as they create friction by moving against a different material, like rubbing a comb on a sweater.
The study published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials describes the vapour deposition method they use to coat fabrics with a conducting polymer, known as PEDOT, to make plain- woven, conducting fabrics that are resistant to stretching and wear and remain stable after washing and ironing.