Insulating thread gives safety boost to ‘smart textiles’

The team at North Carolina State University (NC State) reported in npj Flexible Electronics that they prevented short-circuiting in yarns that act as supercapacitors by wrapping the yarns with insulating thread. They also tested the strength and durability of the yarns to ensure they worked after going through knitting and weaving processes.

“A supercapacitor functions like a battery, but in this case, we’re working on a flexible battery shaped as a textile yarn that you could weave or knit into your T-shirt or sweater,” said Wei Gao, associate professor of textile engineering, chemistry and science and a University Faculty Scholar at NC State. “In this study, we have woven this yarn into a piece of fabric so that it can store electrical energy, and eventually we want to use it to power whatever electronic devices you need, whether it be a sensor, a light or even a cell phone.”