Self-cleaning fabrics could revolutionize the sport apparel industry. The technology, created by scientists working for the U.S. Air Force, has already been used to create t-shirts and underwear that can be worn hygenically for weeks without washing. The new technology attaches nanoparticles to clothing fibers using microwaves. Then, chemicals that can repel water, oil and bacteria are directly bound to the nanoparticles. These two elements combine to create a protective coating on the fibers of the material. This coating both kills bacteria, and forces liquids to bead and run off. The U.S. military spent more than $20 million to develop the fabric, deriving from research originally intended to protect soldiers from biological weapons. Jeff Owens, one of the scientists who worked to develop the process, said, “During Desert Storm, most casualties were from bacterial infections—not accidents or friendly fire. We treated underwear for soldiers who tested them for several weeks and found they remained hygienic. They also helped clear up some skin complaints.” Science fiction writer Neal Stephenson wrote specifically about nanotech fabrics that stayed clean; he referred to “fabricules” in his 1995 novel The Diamond Age: …with a quick brush, John and Gwendolyn were able to transfer most of the dirt onto their white gloves. From there it went straight into the air. Most gentlemen’s and ladies’ gloves nowadays were constructed of infinitesimal fabricules that knew how to eject dirt…British news organizations pointed out that an earlier reference to the general idea of clothes that never got dirty can be found in the 1951 film “The Man in the White Suit.” Sci-fi fans can console themselves with the fact that the lead role was played by Alec Guiness, who of course played Obiwan Kenobi in the original Star Wars films.
what is Nanotechnology ? Nanotechnology is defined as the science and technology of building electronic circuits and devices from single atoms and molecules, or the branch of engineering that deals with things smaller than 100 nanometers. A nanometer is about ten thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair. Nanotechnology deals with and manipulates anything that occurs within the scale of a nanometer. Nanotechnology is an extension of the field of materials science. Materials science departments at colleges and universities around the world are leading the way in current nanotechnology breakthroughs. The term Nanotechnology is also often used to describe the interdisciplinary fields of science devoted to the study of the nanoscale phenomena utilized in Nanotechnology. The future benefits that nanotechnology research could serve include advances in telecommunications, information technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. For additional information on Nanotechnology, what it consists of as well as its current and future impacts on the world of science, simply select any Nanotechnology article or other interactive feature below. Among the many possibilities: Soft protective vests stronger than Kevlar; Bandages that can contract to put pressure on; Artificial muscles powered by electricity much lighter than current hydraulics. Would make it easier to incorporate electronic sensors and actuators into clothing. All of these possible applications derive from the remarkable properties of carbon nanotubes; the ability to conduct both heat and electricity along with the extreme toughness of the fiber. The researchers created the yarn by growing a mat of fibres on a substrate, called a nanotube forest. A sharp, pointed instrument then pulled at the fibres along the plane of the substrate. Atkinson said the tubes then formed into a “conga line” and were twisted and wrapped around each other as they were pulled. “As long as there are fibres in the forest, you can make a yarn as long as you want. You get a very even strand,” he said. “People say how can you spin something that is one-third of a millimetre long, but it is the length-to-diameter ratio that matters. We use fibres with a 10 nanometre diameter and put in a lot of wraps.” Science fiction writer Neal Stephenson wrote about arachnofiber uniforms in his 1992 novel Snow Crash. These bulletproof and lightweight uniforms were worn by the Deliverators, the world’s best pizza delivery guys. If you are interested in how technology is producing science-fictional clothing, take a look at Scentsory Chameleon Bodysuit: Biometric Fashion. Bulletproof vests and body armor tends to be rigid – but not Liquid Body Armor in Two Flavors – Shear Thickening and Magnetorheological.
