The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) announced the signing of a collaborative framework agreement with Wuyi University (WYU).
The two universities will join hands for research on the development of green and healthy textile materials over a span of three years. The collaboration marks an important milestone of joint R&D effort between Hong Kong and Jiangmen – two major cities in the Greater Bay Area.
As one of the world’s largest textile and garment production and consumption regions, the Mainland’s growing demand for “green and healthy” textile has created a huge market potential for antibacterial and mildew resistant textiles.
The collaboration aims to facilitate the experts from the two universities to innovate dyeing and finishing technologies for fabrics so as to address the health and environmental concerns associated with man-made fibres and their chemical processes.
As textiles are good substrates for exponential bacterial growth and microbial proliferation under appropriate moisture, nutrients, and temperature conditions, the research will also study the ingredients and methodologies to enhance the antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal performances in textiles.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU stated that PolyU has proven records in translating impactful research results into applicable technologies and solutions to benefit the society and humankind.
Leveraging its research strengths in textile technology for smart materials, textile-based wearable electronics and biomedical textiles, PolyU’s leadership believes the collaboration will bring further success in developing next generation “green and healthy” fabrics.
The collaboration with universities in the Greater Bay Area such as WYU is expected to accelerate innovation, new technology development and commercial applications of R&D in the region.
The Party Committee Secretary of WYU thanked PolyU for kick-starting the collaboration in textile research. He hoped this is just the beginning and the cooperation could be extended to other disciplines between the two universities.
PolyU revolutionising textile and wearable technology
OpenGov Asia recently reported that PolyU scholars developed a high-energy, high-flexibility textile lithium battery. The product was designed to cope with surging demand for wearable electronics.
The battery offers more stable, durable and safe energy supply for wearable electronics with a myriad of applications, such as in healthcare monitoring, intelligent textiles, smartphones, Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and Internet of Things (IoT).
PolyU’s novel lightweight Textile Lithium Battery demonstrates high energy density of more than 450 Wh/L, and excellent flexibility — with a bending radius of less than 1mm, and foldability of over 1,000 cycles with marginal capacity degradation.
In comparison, the existing bendable lithium battery can only reach a bending radius of about 25 mm, and with much lower performance of less than 200 Wh/L. The Textile Lithium Battery, of less than 0.5 mm thick, also possesses fast charging/discharging capability, and long cycle life compared with conventional lithium batteries.
As all wearable electronics will require wearable energy supply, PolyU’s novel technology in fabricating Textile Lithium Battery offers a promising solution to a wide array of next-generation applications, ranging from healthcare, infotainment, sports, aerospace, fashion, IoT to any sensing or tracking uses that may even exceed our imagination of today.
Laboratory tests conducted by the ITC team have proven the extremely high mechanical stability, durability and safety of the Textile Lithium Battery under deformation. When the battery is repeatedly folded in half, twisted at different angles or freely crumpled, its voltage window remained unchanged.
Bending test showed that the battery can be bent over 1,000 times with marginal capacity degradation. Safety tests conducted by continuous hammering, trimming with scissors and penetrating with nail proved the battery can stably provide power output for the electronic components with no risk of catching fire or burst.
PolyU’s researchers and their partners are revolutionising changing the textile industry with new and innovative designs and technologies.
[Image Credits: PolyU, Press Release]
