Nanotechnology
and Textiles
Dr. Noraiham Mohamad
Department of Engineering Materials
Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering
Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
 Nano is derived from the
Greek word, nanos, meaning
dwarf, and in SI units, the
prefix nano is used as a factor
indicating 10-9.
 One nanometer (nm) is
0.000000001m
 By comparison, the diameter
of single human hair is
80,000nm, and human red
blood cell is 7000nm wide and
a water molecule is almost
0.3nm.
 Both nano-science and nano

technology are concerned with
materials that are very small.
Nano-scale has generally been taken
to lie from 0.2nm (atom) to 100nm.
Nano-science is defined as the study
of phenomena and manipulation of
materials at atomic, molecular and
macro-molecular scales, where the
properties of materials differ
markedly from those at larger scale.
 Nano-technologies, on the
other hand, refer to the
design, characterisation,
production and application
of structures, devices and
systems, by controlling
shape and size at the nanometre scale.
 Nano-technologies may be
considered as a range of
methods of manufacturing
materials along the lines of
atomic assembly.
 Atoms, molecules and nano-
sized materials are thereby
manipulated in a thorough,
precise and controlled
manner to produce novel
materials with innovative and
different properties to those
obtained by conventional
material engineering at the
micro-scale.
 Nano-technology has been
termed a “bottom-up”
technology because of the use
of such small scale building
units.
 Conventional materials
engineering at the macro-scale
is, by contrast, considered as a
“top-down” approach.
 The use of nano-science and
nano-technology to control the
internal structure of a material
at nano-scale is considered to
lead to materials with fewer
defects and hence of a higher
quality.
1. For nano-materials that are
2.
nano-scale in one dimesion,
application of very thin
surface coating (2nm-100nm)
to textile materials.
Nano-fibres and nanotubes are
esentially nano-scale in two
dimensions and their
utilization in many forms of
composite materials offers
opportunities to improve the
mechanical properties,
altering electrical, optical or
biological characteristics.
3. The third approach involves
the use of nano-particles
(nano-scale in three
dimensions) for
incorporation in fibres,
coating, films to provide a
myriad of possibilities such
as imparting antimicrobial,
flame retardant and
chemical softening effects to
textiles and clothing.
 Nano-fibres are generally taken



to be fibres with a diameter less
than 1μm (100nm).
Electrospinning is the major
fibre production method used to
make nano-fibres.
In this method a polymer fluid
(melt or soloution) is charged
with a high electrical voltage
and extruded through a
spinneret of 0.1-1nm in
diameter, the extruded polymer
jet being drawn towards an
earthered collector.
By manipulation of the electrospinning conditions, microfilaments can be produced with
different diameters.
 Nano-fibres produced from

synthetic fibre materials can
be formed with a high
surface area to volume ratio
and small pores sizes in
fabric form.
The potential end uses for
such nano-fibres are in
filtration, wound dressings,
tissue engineering, nanocomposites, drug delivery
devices and sensors.
 Nano-composite fibres consist

of nano-fibres containing
particles with one dimension
in the nano-metre range.
The particles may be spheres,
fibrils and by varying the
amounts, their alignment, and
distribution within the nanofibre improvements in the
mechanical, electrical, optical
or biological properties may
be obtained.
Nano-composite fibres
 The
carbon nano-tubes
essentially consist of tiny

shells of graphite rolled up
into cylinders, either as single
tubes or multiple tubes
joined together.
The carbon nano-tubes
exhibit remarkable
properties:
 ahundred
tensile strength some one
times that of steel at


one sixth of the weight.
A thermal conductivity superior
to all but the purest diamond;
Electrical conductivity similar to
copper but with an ability to
carry much higher electrical
currents.
 Nano-coating
the surfaces of
textiles, clothing and textiles for

footwear is one approach to the
production of highly effective
anti-microbial treatments for
killing the bacteria that can lead
to malodour formation.
electrical currents.
The nano-coating is held on the
fibre surface by strong
electrostatic and hydrogen
bonds and punctures the
bacterial wall, killing bacteria
that can accumulate in textiles
and clothing through the
retention of human respiration
exuded through physical
activity and wear.
 Nano-coating of textile
fabrics, complete finished
garments or shoes can be
obtained by plasma polymer
treatment.
 Plasma is the fourth state of
matter (after solid, liquids
and gases) which was
proposed by Sir William
Crookers, as a result of
experiments in the passage
of electricity through gases.
 Aelectrical
plasma generated by
discharge through gas

consists of a mixture of positive
and negative ions, electrons,
free readicals, ultraviolet
radiation, and many different
electronically excited
molecules.
By vary the conditions of the
plasma treatment and the nature
of the specific gas presents, a
variety of surface treatments can
be produced that change the
chemical or physical nature of
the fibre surface, thereby
radically altering all treatments
that depend upon fibre
adhesion, eg coating, lamination
and bonding.
Nano Technology

Nano-particles are permanently attached to cotton or synthetic
fibers. The change occurs at the molecular level, and the particles
can be configured to imbue the fabric with various attributes. Nanotechnology combines the performance characteristics associated
with synthetics with the hand and feel of cotton
Nano-fibers attached to
cotton fibers

Nano-fibers cause
liquids to roll off
Nano-fibers 1/1000 the size of a typical cotton fiber are attached to
the individual fibers. The changes to the fibers are undetectable and
do not affect the natural hand and breathability of the fabric
Microbes Begone!
An anti-microbial technology has been developed
by which it embeds AgION™, a silver-based
inorganic zeolite, in a solution-dyed polyester
Fossfibre® bicomponent fiber. Fossfibre with
AgION is suitable for all textile applications in
which anti-microbial protection is desired.
The bicomponent fibers in Fossfibre are specially designed so
that AgION is found only on the sheath, providing controlled
release for optimum exposure to the destructive bacteria.
The silver ions from the ceramic compound are released at a
slow and steady rate. Ambient moisture in the air causes lowlevel release that effectively maintains an anti-microbial surface.
As the humidity increases and the environment becomes ideal
for bacteria growth, more silver is released.
Future prospects
 The main trust in nano-technologies applied to
textiles, clothing and footwear will be to:




Improve the properties and performance of existing
materials;
Develop smart and intelligent textiles with novel
functions;
Greatly increase the use of fibres in technical textiles,
biomedical and healthcare options; and
Open up new opportunities for fibres as sensors.
 Overall, nano-technologies offer great potential for
the future and could radically change consumer
perception of what constitutes a “standard”
apparel fabric.