A new smart material developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo is the first material to be activated by both heat and electricity, responding to two different stimuli.
Its unique design has potential for a variety of uses, such as clothing that keeps you warm during your winter trip from the car to the office, or car bumpers that return to their original shape after a crash.
Inexpensively made from polymer nanocomposite fibers from recycled plastics, this programmable fabric can change color and shape when stimulated.
Dr. Milad Kamkar, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, said: “Imagine warmth and physical triggers that trigger deeper adventures in virtual worlds.”
The novel fabric design is the product of a happy union of soft and hard materials, combining highly engineered polymer composites and stainless steel in a woven construction.
Researchers created a device similar to a traditional loom to weave smart fabrics. The resulting process is highly versatile, allowing design freedom and macroscale control of fabric properties.
The fabric can also run on lower voltage electricity than previous systems, making it more energy efficient and cost effective. In addition, their low voltage allows them to be incorporated into small, highly portable devices, making them suitable for use in biomedical devices and environmental sensors.
Kamkar, director of the Multiscale Material Design (MMD) Center in Waterloo, said:
“Through its ability to sense and respond to environmental stimuli such as temperature, this is a proof of concept that our new materials can interact with the environment to monitor ecosystems without harming them.”
The next step for researchers is to improve the shape memory performance of fabrics for applications in the field of robotics. The aim is to build a robot that can effectively carry and move weight to complete a task.
Original: New programmable smart fabric responds to temperature and power
Than: University of Waterloo
