Functionalizing Fibres for Energy Recovery Applications

柔性基板设备正变得越来越受欢迎，可穿戴设备和其他基于织物的设备是一个重要的研究重点。为可穿戴传感器和电子设备供电对此类设备的进一步实施构成了挑战。因此，使用能量回收技术为这些设备供电的能力是可取的。该项目的目标是研究一种基于织物的设备的自我充电范例，方法是将可以刺绣到织物中的线条功能化。在这种模式下，能量被回收来为可穿戴设备供电，而不是必须为它们充电。该方法不仅将解决离线期间的可用性挑战，还将为长期持续监测能力铺平道路。重点将放在各种能量回收选择上，包括通过线的功能化的压电性、磁感应性和光伏。为了实现这一点，我们可以利用现有的能量收集技术，并通过将线的功能化来开发它们，然后将其缝制到衣服上。这项技术也可以被开发来从网状窗帘的光线中获取能量。这个项目将研究如何将线功能化，并测试它们在服装上的坚固程度，并将采用标准的微制造技术和设计创新的方法来修改它们，以用于线和面料。除了可穿戴设备的直接应用外，另一个固有的优势是使用灵活的衬底和刺绣方法开发机械共形的功能表面。这一功能将在需要共形、灵活和低成本活动表面的应用中进行探索，特别是在具有挑战性的环境中

Flexible substrate devices are becoming increasingly popular, with wearable and other fabric-based devices being a significant research focus. Powering wearable sensors and electronics presents a challenge to further implementation of such devices. The ability to power these devices using energy recovery techniques would therefore be desirable.The aim of this project is to research a self-charging paradigm for fabric-based devices by functionalising threads, which could be embroidered into fabrics. In this paradigm, energy is recovered to power wearable devices, rather than having to charge them. The method will not only address the usability challenges around offline periods but will also pave the way for long-term continuous monitoring capabilities. The focus will be on various energy recovery options, including piezoelectricity, magnetic induction and photovoltaics through the functionalisation of threads.In order to achieve this, we can take existing energy scavenging technologies and develop them via the functionalisation of threads that can then be sewn into clothing. This technology could also be developed to scavenge energy from light in net window curtains. This project will investigate how to functionalise the threads and test how robust they are for use in clothing and will involve taking standard microfabrication techniques and devising innovative ways to modify them for use with threads and fabrics.In addition to the immediate application of wearables, another inherent advantage is to develop mechanically conformal functional surfaces using flexible substrates and embroidery methods. This feature will be explored in applications where a conformal, flexible, and low-cost active surface is required especially in challenging environments