Developing Stretchable Conductive Fibres and their Implementations in Wearable Electronics

Project Information

Wearonics

Grant agreement ID: 739891

DOI

10.3030/739891

Project closed

EC signature date 21 March 2017

Start date 1 April 2017

End date 31 March 2019

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 157 845,60

EU contribution

€ 157 845,60

Coordinated by

ISTANBUL TEKNIK UNIVERSITESI
Türkiye

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Wearonics (Developing Stretchable Conductive Fibres and their Implementations in Wearable Electronics)

Reporting period: 2017-04-01 to 2019-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Europe needs to take action to develop stretchable conductive materials to lead the wearable electronics (wearonics) industry, which will be worth in excess of $30 billion US dollars in 2020. Although flexible electronics are dominating the current wearonics industry, their applications are restricted due to a significant reduction in their conductivity under the applied strain. Traditional conductive inorganic materials are too rigid to meet this demand, while organic conductive materials still need to be improved. All stretchable conductors with mechanical compliance materials like human skin are required for epidermal electronic devices and wearonics. The ideal solution to this problem would be using a stretchable conductive material that can be woven into washable and breathable fabrics, which remains a significant challenge.
To address the challenge, I have formulated an innovative and interdisciplinary project based on my research experience to develop stretchable conductive yarns (SCY) using silver nanowires (AgNW) and spandex yarn. After developing SCYs, I have brought together diverse - yet complementary - academic and industrial experts to utilize SCYs in wireless communication systems, pervasive computing, disabled friendly smart textiles, health monitoring systems, and electro muscle stimulation technologies.
This Marie Curie fellowship allowed me to acquire new expertise in multiple disciplines, develop international collaborations, and build complementary partnerships between academia and industry, which will enable me to enhance my independence as a researcher in the wearonics field. The successful completion of this timely and innovative project resulted in an advanced material that will contribute to the competitiveness of Europe in the wearonics field.
Project details can be found in https://alpergurarslan.wixsite.com/wearonics/wearonics and www.wearonics.com.tr

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

We have synthesized silver nanowires (AgNW) and developed stretchable and conductive yarn (SCY). SCY can be woven into breathable fabrics and can be washed in a washing machine at 40 ˚C. These yarns have constant electrical resistance even up to 100 % stretching and several stretching cycles.
SCY was used for measuring respiration and body motions, touch based sensors to control LEDs and wirelessly control toy robots. It could be heated with an applied voltage for using in disabled individuals friendly clothing. Our results show that applying 5.8 V can heat the SCY upto 98 ˚C.
SCY can be used in many other applications such as stretchable and wearable screens. Our future work will move on in this direction.
Industrial production of SCY could have a great impact on the competitiveness of Europe in the Stretchable and Wearable Electronics Industry. We have received research funding to proceed in this direction. We are planning to successfully produce the commercial prototype of SCY. We have already filled a patent application describing this process.
We have published 2 research publications in peer reviewed journals. These papers are;
1) A Gurarslan. “Wireless controlling of a toy robot using silver nanowire coated spandex yarns” Journal of Industrial Textiles. First Published April 22, 2018
2) A Gurarslan, B Ozdemir, IH Bayat, MB Yelten, G Karabulut Kurt. “Silver Nanowire Coated Knitted Wool Fabric for Wearable Electronic Applications” Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics. Accepted for Publication 2019
We are planning to publish at least one more peer reviewed research paper including the results of industrial scale production of SCY.
We have participated to the following conferences:
- “IDATECH EXHIBITION” Berlin, GERMANRY. April 2018. (Poster Presentation)
- “Association of Universities for Textiles” June 2018, Istanbul, TURKEY.
- “Advances in organic and hybrid electronic materials” Dubrovnik, CROATIA. March 2019.
- “Association of Universities for Textiles” Brussels, BELGIUM. June 2019.
- “National Cukurova Textile Congress”, Adana, TURKEY. September 2019.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Successful and flourishing results of this project are beyond our expectations. We have published 2 research papers and the 3rd one is in preparation. We have filed a patent application and established a start-up company; WEARONICS Technology Limited Company. WEARONICS Technology Limited Company have 3 fulltime employers since September 2018. We have attended several scientific meetings and project results were disseminated not only in these meetings but also in other activities to the general audiences such as high school, middle school, and elementary school students. We have applied for 4 different research grants and 2 of them were funded. We have established regional and international network. Several local and international companies have shown interest in SCY.
We have been training 7 undergraduate students. Two of them developed a wearable antenna in their undergraduate final thesis and successfully graduated. We have been working with a master student to develop a stretchable and wearable screen. I have become a co-advisor of a PhD student. I have been teaching undergraduate courses and offered 3 new courses to our department.
Based on our scientific results, this project contributes to the competitiveness of Europe in the wearable electronics field and holds great potential for economic impact.

Silver nanowires coated on a cotton fiber