China News Service, Beijing, March 11 (Reporter Sun Zifa) With the rapid development of electronic display, artificial intelligence and other technologies, people wearing "smart clothing" that integrates computer applications and fabric forms are becoming a reality step by step.
The research team led by Professor Peng Huisheng of the Department of Polymer Science of Fudan University is oriented towards smart clothing. The latest success has been to integrate the preparation of display devices with the fabric weaving process, integrating multi-functional micro light-emitting devices at the interweaving points of polymer composite fibers, revealing the gap between the fiber electrodes The unique law of electric field distribution realizes large-area flexible display fabric and intelligent integrated system.
The application scenario of this fabric in real-time positioning and information communication.
Photo courtesy of Professor Peng Huisheng’s team
Chinese scientists have successfully developed wearable electronic fabrics, an important scientific research paper, which was published online in the internationally renowned academic journal Nature in the early morning of March 11th, Beijing time, entitled "Large-area display fabrics and integrated systems for their functions".
The fabric has stretchability, breathability and durability, and is a practical and ideal material. The reviewer commented that it "created important and valuable new knowledge."
Peng Huisheng’s research team has been committed to the research and development of smart polymer fibers and fabrics for more than ten years. They used a new method that can unify the preparation of light-emitting devices with the fabric weaving process and used industrialized weaving equipment to achieve a length of 6 meters and a width of 0.25 meters. , The luminous fabric with about 500,000 luminous points, the minimum distance between the luminous points is 0.8 mm, which can initially meet the resolution requirements of some practical applications.
By replacing the luminous material, a multi-color luminous unit can also be realized to obtain a colorful display fabric.
A 6mx25cm display fabric contains about 500,000 electroluminescent units.
Photo courtesy of Professor Peng Huisheng’s team
According to the research team, the light-emitting fiber diameter of the newly developed wearable electronic fabric can be precisely adjusted between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm. This is a material woven with one stitch and one thread, which can closely follow the irregular contours of the human body. , As light and breathable as ordinary fabrics, to ensure good wearing comfort.
Schematic diagram of the latest research results related principles.
Photo courtesy of Professor Peng Huisheng’s team
In order to meet the requirements of real-life clothes that are inevitably bumped and bumped, and daily cleaning is also required, the research team prepared a highly elastic transparent polymer conductive fiber through the melt extrusion method. The experimental results show that the conductive fiber The fiber fabric can maintain stable brightness under the conditions of folding, stretching, and pressing cycles, and can withstand hundreds of washing machines.
Schematic diagram of the latest research results related principles.
Photo courtesy of Professor Peng Huisheng’s team
In addition to display fabrics, the research team also implemented a functional integration system of photovoltaic fabrics, energy storage fabrics, touch sensing fabrics, and display fabrics based on the weaving method, which integrates energy conversion and storage, sensing and display, and other functions in one. The fabric system becomes possible.
The system has shown good application prospects in the fields of Internet of Things and human-computer interaction, such as real-time positioning, intelligent communication, and medical assistance.
Professor Peng Huisheng said that the research team has “brought out the products” from the laboratory, realized the continuous and stable preparation of luminescent fibers and fabrics, and is committed to promoting the large-scale application research of fully flexible display fabrics.
"We also look forward to the participation of industry partners to jointly solve specific problems in practical applications."
(Finish)