Electric functions of textile polymers

Abstract

Conventional textile materials are made of polymer materials. Many of the textile polymers are mostly dielectric materials. Dielectric polymers with low dielectric constant have been considered inactive to an electric field. However, they turned out to be electrically active. Textile polymers or their gels and elastomers are shown how they can be electrically active. The actions observed are electromechanical, mechanoelectrical, and electrooptical. Even the electromechanical functions have varieties of contractile, bending (or folding), crawling, vibration, and creeping deformation. Some of these polymers exhibit colossal dielectric constant at certain conditions. The characteristics suggest large power generation and novel functions. The electromechanical motility was applied for new type weaving technique that can be applicable for micro- and nano-fiber. Some of the materials for the textile polymers, such as poly (vinyl alcohol) and poly (vinyl chloride), show remarkable electrooptical functions, which can modulate refractive index by dc field application. These polymers can also imply effective piezoelectric function, too, suggesting thesemight be applied for energy-harvesting materials. These properties might suggest the possibility of conventional textile polymers in noveltype smart fiber and textiles.