SoylentNews

Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

The role of nanomaterials in textiles [ieee.org] has evolved since then from comparatively simple hydrophobic materials that Nanotex continues to produce to where we now are creating textile electrodes using graphene or weaving nanowires into t-shirts to make them into supercapacitors.

Perhaps the greatest metric of how far nanomaterials have come in textiles is the range of work being done by students at Cornell University where they are using a variety of different nanomaterials in combination with cotton to create clothing that kills bacteria, conducts electricity, and serves as a platform for electronic devices.

“Cotton is one of the most fascinating—and misunderstood materials,” said Juan Hinestroza, associate professor of fiber science, who directs the Textiles Nanotechnology Laboratory at Cornell, in a press release. “In a nanoscale world—and that is our world—we can control cellulose-based materials one atom at a time.”

Ugh, Cotton? Does. Not. Breathe.

Original Submission