| Abstract [eng] |
1. Introduction. Textiles, originally made from natural fiber materials, have thousands of years of history [1]. The advent of synthetic materials has made substantial changes in the textile industry, but recent progress in the development of nanomaterials is promising one more important transformation. The contemporary technologies used for textiles are struggling to meet societal demands and challenges, such as stain repellence, wrinkle-freeness, static elimination, passive cooling, smart wear compatibility, and sufficient electrical conductivity of fibers without compromising comfort and flexibility [2,3]. This inevitably requires the development of new materials along with the associated deposition and/or processing methods. To bridge this gap, nanomaterials, heterogeneous composite materials with embedded nanoparticles [4,5], and 2D materials [6,7] are stepping in and providing the required functionalities and properties that have so far been elusive using other means, including antimicrobial properties, hydrophobic properties, catalytic performance, handling of odors, controlled drug release, and response to external stimuli via electrical, color, or physiological signals without spoiling their durability. The conventional materials used in textiles could be replaced by the nonwoven nanofibrous materials deposited by the electrospinning technique [8], together with their further post-processing for gaining extra functionalities [9]. The electrospinning method enables polymer-based nanofibers ‘loaded’ with different additives including nanoparticles, enzymes, drugs, or catalysts [10]. Such technologies pave the way for the use of nano textiles in a manifold of areas, including biomedical applications [11]. Nanotextiles are already in use at an industrial level. The utilization of nanomaterials also raises the issue of risk factors including nanotoxicity, nanomaterial release during washing, and environmental impact of nanotextiles based on life cycle assessments [12]. |
