Development and Characterization of Hybrid, Temperature Sensing and Heating Yarns with Color Change

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Body temperature monitoring is crucial for health, with deviations indicating serious conditions like fever or hypothermia.
• Current methods for temperature regulation and monitoring in textiles are limited.
• Developing smart textiles for integrated thermal management and sensing is an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel hybrid yarn with integrated temperature sensing and heating capabilities.
• To enable improved monitoring and regulation of body temperature through smart textile technology.
• To explore the potential applications of this hybrid yarn in healthcare and sports industries.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a three-layer hybrid yarn with a stainless steel core, polyester layer, and thermochromic coating.
• Characterization of the yarn's thermoresistive properties by measuring resistance changes over a temperature range.
• Evaluation of the yarn's heating capabilities by applying different voltages and assessing temperature output.
• Assessment of the thermochromic response for visual temperature indication.

Main Results:

• The hybrid yarn demonstrated a reproducible sensory function, with resistance changing by 0.15 Ω over a 30 cm length between 20-60 °C.
• The yarn exhibited uniform and reproducible heating power, allowing for controlled temperature adjustments via voltage selection.
• A clear, visible thermochromic color change occurred between 28-29 °C.
• The yarn's textile structure facilitates integration into fabrics via weaving or sewing.

Conclusions:

• The developed hybrid yarn successfully integrates temperature sensing (thermoresistive and thermochromic) and active heating functionalities.
• This smart yarn offers a promising platform for advanced wearable technology in health monitoring and thermal regulation.
• The yarn's design ensures flexibility, comfort, and compatibility with standard textile manufacturing processes.