Surface Modification of Textiles with Nanomaterials …
3
species in the form of gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber to form a compound with the target and the reactive species, which is subsequently coated on the
surface of the substrate/textile as a thin film. Such deposited thin films are generally
used in applications that demands high purity and repeatability in its functionality.
On the other hand, thin films preparation through CVD techniques like spray coating, dip coating were carried out at atmospheric environment, where the influence
of other gases in the atmosphere might influence and modify the prepared samples.
These modifications limit the potential applications of the prepared samples. However, preparation of high purity thin films using PVD techniques fulfil the required
demands and hence could be potentially employed in many applications like aircraft
parts, biomedical instrumentations, optical devices, surface modification of textiles,
etc.
Textile has proven to be a versatile substrate for the integration of nanostructured
materials owing to its universality and the same has been exploited for the fabrication
of wearable electronics devices. Laundering greatly decreases the effects imparted
by functionalization of the fabrics thereby reducing its long-term usage. This poses a
significant challenge in developing functional textiles. Hence, nanotechnology plays
a major role in introducing unique and permanent functional fabrics.
2 Nanomaterials
The term ‘nanomaterial’ refers to the materials, whose size would be in the range of
1–100 nm at least in one physical dimension. The branch of studying materials and its
properties in nano scale is commonly referred to as nanoscience. Nano-scaled materials are either naturally available (e.g. abalone shell of mollusca, volcanic ashes)
or man-made (e.g. gold, silver nanoparticles) [17]. Synthesis route for the nanomaterials comes under two broad categories: (i) Top-Down approach—scaling down
of bulk materials to desired smaller size and (ii) Bottom-Up approach—grouping
atoms/molecules to form a nanoscale particle [18]. The implications of these evolved
nanomaterials are evident in many fields, few to be mentioned are miniaturization
of electronic devices, targeted drug delivery [19], multifunctional textiles [20] and
effective catalysts owing to their unique electrical, optical, mechanical, thermal,
magnetic properties and other material properties.
In bulk, much of the atoms are packed internally, where their interaction with the
physical and chemical environments remain limited. The situation with particles in
the nanoscale regime is different since in a given volume more atoms are involved
in electrical and chemical reactions owing to increase in the surface area, in other
words, at nano dimensions the surface to volume ratio is increased. As an illustration,
let us calculate the surface area (4πr
2 ) to volume (4/3) πr
3 ) ratio for the spherical
particles of radius r,
3
species in the form of gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber to form a compound with the target and the reactive species, which is subsequently coated on the
surface of the substrate/textile as a thin film. Such deposited thin films are generally
used in applications that demands high purity and repeatability in its functionality.
On the other hand, thin films preparation through CVD techniques like spray coating, dip coating were carried out at atmospheric environment, where the influence
of other gases in the atmosphere might influence and modify the prepared samples.
These modifications limit the potential applications of the prepared samples. However, preparation of high purity thin films using PVD techniques fulfil the required
demands and hence could be potentially employed in many applications like aircraft
parts, biomedical instrumentations, optical devices, surface modification of textiles,
etc.
Textile has proven to be a versatile substrate for the integration of nanostructured
materials owing to its universality and the same has been exploited for the fabrication
of wearable electronics devices. Laundering greatly decreases the effects imparted
by functionalization of the fabrics thereby reducing its long-term usage. This poses a
significant challenge in developing functional textiles. Hence, nanotechnology plays
a major role in introducing unique and permanent functional fabrics.
2 Nanomaterials
The term ‘nanomaterial’ refers to the materials, whose size would be in the range of
1–100 nm at least in one physical dimension. The branch of studying materials and its
properties in nano scale is commonly referred to as nanoscience. Nano-scaled materials are either naturally available (e.g. abalone shell of mollusca, volcanic ashes)
or man-made (e.g. gold, silver nanoparticles) [17]. Synthesis route for the nanomaterials comes under two broad categories: (i) Top-Down approach—scaling down
of bulk materials to desired smaller size and (ii) Bottom-Up approach—grouping
atoms/molecules to form a nanoscale particle [18]. The implications of these evolved
nanomaterials are evident in many fields, few to be mentioned are miniaturization
of electronic devices, targeted drug delivery [19], multifunctional textiles [20] and
effective catalysts owing to their unique electrical, optical, mechanical, thermal,
magnetic properties and other material properties.
In bulk, much of the atoms are packed internally, where their interaction with the
physical and chemical environments remain limited. The situation with particles in
the nanoscale regime is different since in a given volume more atoms are involved
in electrical and chemical reactions owing to increase in the surface area, in other
words, at nano dimensions the surface to volume ratio is increased. As an illustration,
let us calculate the surface area (4πr
2 ) to volume (4/3) πr
3 ) ratio for the spherical
particles of radius r,