Process

Magnetic Textile Project | Process Documentation

1. Ideation & Sketches

The concept of magnetic textiles revolves around embedding magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) directly into fabrics to achieve functional, durable, and washable smart textiles. These fabrics can be used for healthcare, smart wearables, electromagnetic shielding, and security applications.

🧠 Brainstorming & Conceptualization

Why Magnetic Textiles?

Magnetic textiles offer unique functionalities that conventional fabrics lack:
✅ Electromagnetic Shielding: Protection from electromagnetic radiation (EMI).
✅ Biomedical Applications: Stimulating muscles via external magnets (magnetic therapy).
✅ Wearable Technology: Motion tracking and smart textile integration.
✅ Industrial & Security Uses: RFID-embedded fabrics for authentication and theft prevention.

📄 Research & Literature Review

To develop a strong foundation, research was conducted on in-situ synthesis methods for magnetic textiles. The following key research papers were reviewed:

1. Montazer, M. et al. In-Situ Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on Cotton Fabrics (Link)
2. Afshari, S. & Montazer, M. Sonosynthesis of Nickel Nanoparticles on Polyester (Link)
3. Recent Advances in Functional Magnetic Textiles – Covers applications in biomedicine, defense, and smart wearables (Link)

📌 Additional Research Papers:
- Repository: 📂 Magnetic_Textile_Research.pdf
- Optimized PDF versions linked for reference.

💡 Prototyping Ideas:

1. Direct Synthesis on Fabric: Growing Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles inside textile fibers.
2. Spray-Coating Method: Applying nanoparticle solution followed by curing.
3. Polymer Encapsulation: Embedding nanoparticles in a flexible polymer matrix for textile adhesion.

2. Design & Fabrication

Once the concept was defined, the next step was to experiment with fabrication techniques to integrate magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) into textiles.

🛠️ Experimental Design

The in-situ synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles on textiles was conducted in four main steps:

1️⃣ Fabric Pre-Treatment

• Objective: Improve the surface adhesion of nanoparticles on textile fibers.
• Methods Used:
  ✅ For Natural Fabrics (Cotton/Wool): Acid/Base Treatment (Hydrochloric Acid, NaOH).
  ✅ For Synthetic Fabrics (Polyester/Nylon): Plasma Treatment for surface activation.
• Expected Outcome: Increased nanoparticle binding and enhanced durability after washing.

2️⃣ Nanoparticle Synthesis (In-Situ Growth Method)

• Goal: Synthesize iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles directly onto fabric fibers.
• Chemical Reaction Used:
  • FeCl₃ + FeSO₄ + NaOH → Fe₃O₄ Nanoparticles
• Process Steps:
  1. Prepare iron salt solution (Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ sources).
  2. Immerse fabric in solution and heat to 80°C.
  3. Slowly add NaOH to precipitate Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles.
  4. Allow the reaction to complete, then rinse fabric with deionized water.
  5. Dry and cure the fabric at 100°C for 1 hour.

📌 Alternative Methods:
- Sol-Gel Process: Coating fabric with Fe₃O₄ precursor before heat treatment.
- Sonochemical Method: Using ultrasound waves to grow nanoparticles on fabric.

3️⃣ Magnetic Testing & Characterization

After fabricating the first batch of magnetic textiles, testing was performed to analyze magnetic properties, durability, and performance.

✅ Magnetic Response Test: Checking attraction to a neodymium magnet.
✅ Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): Imaging nanoparticles on fabric fibers.
✅ X-ray Diffraction (XRD): Verifying Fe₃O₄ crystal structure.
✅ Washing Durability: Testing retention of nanoparticles after 20 wash cycles.

4️⃣ Application & Integration

Once the magnetic textile was successfully synthesized and tested, the next step was to integrate it into a functional application.

👗 Wearable & Fashion Concepts

• Magnetic Kinetic Dress: Fabric with embedded magnets that change shape dynamically.
• Motion-Responsive Textile: Moves in response to external magnetic fields.
• Smart Gloves with Magnetic Touch: Allows users to interact with metal surfaces or magnetic fields.

🎭 Installation / Interactive Showcase

• Magnetic Textile Wall: A mounted fabric that shifts when exposed to a magnet.
• Floating Textile Sculpture: A lightweight textile suspended with hidden magnets to create a "levitating" effect.

📸 Fabrication Images & Results

Below are images of the fabrication setup, test samples, and experimental results.

📌 First Magnetic Textile Sample:

📌 Nanoparticle Coating under SEM:

🔗 References & Footnotes

📄 Key Research References:

1. Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for Iron Oxide Nanoparticles 🔗 Download
2. Prototype Data Sheet 🔗 Magnetic_Textile_Prototype.pdf
3. Lab Notebook with Experiment Logs 🔗 Experiment_Notes.pdf

Final Notes

This document serves as a living record of the research and development process for magnetic textiles. Future updates will include:
📌 Further testing and refinement of synthesis methods
📌 Integration of magnetic textiles into wearable applications
📌 Prototype optimization for durability and performance

🚀 By the end of this project, a fully functional magnetic textile prototype will be tested and ready for practical applications!

Mentoring notes

Mentors in all sessions may share with you their comments, notes, advise, projects and technical equipment to check out. This is good place to share those, so that you can find them later on when you need them the most!

Half-fabrication files

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1. Test file: 3d modelling test ↩