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Technical Textile Science and Technology

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 2665

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sumit Mandal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Design and Merchandising, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
Interests: textile & apparel science; textile engineering & technology; protective textiles & clothing; thermal protective clothing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Huipu Gao

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Textile Development and Marketing, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 227 W 27th Street, Suite B442, New York, NY 10001, USA
Interests: protective clothing; environmentally friendly textile materials; smart textile; nonwoven

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Technical textiles play vital roles in various industries, including construction, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, sports, firefighting, military, hygiene, agriculture, and more. They are designed and engineered to meet specific functional and performance requirements. These textiles offer superior properties compared to traditional textiles, such as enhanced durability, strength, flame resistance, antimicrobial activity, responsiveness, intelligent, biocompatibility, moisture management, thermal regulation, and environmental resistance.

The rapid advancements in this field are driving innovations that address the growing demand for higher performance in diverse applications. This Special Issue focuses on the latest research and innovations in technical textiles. It will cover the scientific and technological developments in the field of geotextiles, interior textiles, industrial textiles, medical textiles, automotive and aerospace textiles, ecological protection textiles, packaging textiles, sports textiles, and protective textiles, etc.

We invite researchers to submit original research articles, review papers, and short communications that explore these advancements in technical textiles, with topics including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Innovative polymeric materials used in technical textiles;
  • sustainable, eco-friendly solutions for technical textiles;
  • smart and responsive textiles;
  • advanced protective textiles for medical workers, firefighters, oil and gas industry personnel, military, and other hazardous environments;
  • innovations that enhance the performance of technical textiles;
  • development of testing methods and protocols to evaluate the performance of technical textiles;
  • modification of the standards for testing technical textiles.

We look forward to your submissions.

Dr. Sumit Mandal
Guest Editor

Dr. Huipu Gao
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • technical textiles
  • geotextiles
  • industrial textiles
  • medical textiles
  • interior textiles
  • protective clothing
  • ecological protection textiles
  • packaging textiles
  • sports textiles

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 4975 KiB  
Article
The Gas- and Condensed-Phase Efficacy of Functionalized Phosphorus Flame Retardants for Cotton Fabric: Phenyl vs. Phenoxy Groups
by Raphael Otto, Ava Cardona, Alexander M. Preußner, Wael Ali, Jochen S. Gutmann and Thomas Mayer-Gall
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 924; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070924 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 335
Abstract
This study explores how functionalized aromatic P-FRs, specifically phenyl- and phenoxy-based phosphoric acid derivatives, influence the flame retardancy of cotton textiles. By systematically investigating derivatives with varying degrees of phenyl, phenoxy, and acidic hydroxyl terminations, alongside ortho-phosphoric acid as a reference, this work [...] Read more.
This study explores how functionalized aromatic P-FRs, specifically phenyl- and phenoxy-based phosphoric acid derivatives, influence the flame retardancy of cotton textiles. By systematically investigating derivatives with varying degrees of phenyl, phenoxy, and acidic hydroxyl terminations, alongside ortho-phosphoric acid as a reference, this work aimed to elucidate the role of aromaticity and functional group composition on both gas- and condensed-phase flame retardant efficacy. Cotton fabrics were treated with comparable phosphorus loadings (~3 g/m2), quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), to evaluate the gas- and condensed-phase efficacy of the flame retardants. Notably, derivatives with a higher number of acidic hydroxyl terminations exhibited the best flame retardant performance, enhancing char formation through dehydration and condensation reactions during combustion. Thermal analysis (TGA) and microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) confirmed that phenoxy systems catalyze cotton decomposition more effectively, promoting dehydration through the hydrolysis of phenoxy groups. Furthermore, IR analysis of evolved gases revealed a significant reduction in volatile emissions for phenoxy systems, while this was not observed for phenyl derivatives. These findings underscore the importance of robust condensed-phase mechanisms for achieving effective flame retardancy in cotton textiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technical Textile Science and Technology)
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17 pages, 29728 KiB  
Article
Development and Performance of Negative Ion Functional Blended Yarns and Double-Sided Knitted Fabrics Based on ZnO/TM/PET Fiber
by Yingzi Zhang, Mengxin Zhang, Jishu Zhang, Jianbing Wu and Jiajia Peng
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070905 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 271
Abstract
Zinc oxide-modified tourmaline-based negative ion polyester fiber (ZnO/TM/PET), as a new functional fiber with excellent negative ion emission characteristics, is of great significance to human health, and its industrial application needs to be expanded and promoted. In this paper, using zinc oxide, tourmaline, [...] Read more.
Zinc oxide-modified tourmaline-based negative ion polyester fiber (ZnO/TM/PET), as a new functional fiber with excellent negative ion emission characteristics, is of great significance to human health, and its industrial application needs to be expanded and promoted. In this paper, using zinc oxide, tourmaline, and polyethylene terephthalate as the main raw materials, ZnO/TM/PET negative ion functional fiber with 5% ZnO/TM composites was prepared. Then, it was blended with cotton fiber and interknitted with wool yarn and spandex yarn, from which we developed five kinds of negative ion polyester/cotton-blended yarn and four different kinds of knitted double-sided fabric using different equipment and process parameters. The micromorphology of the fiber samples, the basic properties of the blended yarns, and the wearability and functional properties of the knitted fabrics were tested. The results show that the ZnO/TM negative ion additive is randomly dispersed in the polymer matrix without visible conglobation and the fiber has a good appearance. The blending ratio has an important effect on the properties of functional polyester/cotton blended yarn. The higher the ratio of negative ion polyester fiber in the blended yarn, the better the mechanical index of the blended yarn, the higher the negative ion emission, and the lower the hairiness index. The performances of fabric are influenced by the comprehensive action of fiber raw material type, yarn ratio, fabric tightness, and structure. The mechanical properties of the fabric knitted from negative ion polyester/cotton-blended yarn are lower than those made from negative ion polyester filament yarn. In the case of the same fabric structure, the negative ion emission performance, far-infrared emission performance, and antibacterial property of the fabric with a higher ratio of negative ion functional fiber is better than the lower ratio. With the same yarn composition, the negative ion emission performance and air permeability of the fabric with a loose structure are better than that of the fabric with a tight structure, but the moisture permeability, far-infrared emission properties, and antibacterial properties show little difference. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technical Textile Science and Technology)
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14 pages, 3700 KiB  
Article
Pressure and Thermal Behavior of Elastic Polyurethane and Polyamide Knitted Fabrics for Compression Textiles
by Nga Wun Li, Mei-Ying Kwan and Kit-Lun Yick
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 831; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070831 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 336
Abstract
Compression stockings have long been manufactured in a single color without patterns, but enhancing their aesthetic appeal through knitted designs can improve user compliance. This study explores the potential of punch lace knitted structures to create patterns in compression textiles by seamless knitting [...] Read more.
Compression stockings have long been manufactured in a single color without patterns, but enhancing their aesthetic appeal through knitted designs can improve user compliance. This study explores the potential of punch lace knitted structures to create patterns in compression textiles by seamless knitting technology while maintaining sufficient pressure. The effects of yarn material, number of yarns used, and knitted patterns on pressure and thermal comfort will be studied. The fabric pressure was evaluated using pressure sensors with a leg mannequin, while the thermal properties were measured according to the textile standard. This study found that the pressure and thermal conductivity of fabric are significantly influenced by the number of yarn and yarn materials, but not the knitted pattern. Cupro/cotton/polyurethane yarn (A) exhibits the strongest positive impact on pressure, increasing by 2.03 mmHg with the addition of one end of yarn A while polyamide/lycra yarn (C) exhibits a higher thermal conductivity than yarn A. For air permeability, the number of yarn and knitted patterns significantly affects the ventilation resistance. Pattern B with an additional needle in a float stitch shows 0.023 kPa·s/m lower resistance than pattern A. The findings from this study can be widely used in health, medical, and sports applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technical Textile Science and Technology)
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16 pages, 5814 KiB  
Article
Effects of the Hot-Drawing Process on the Pore Parameters, Gas Absorption and Mechanical Performances of Activated Carbon-Loaded Porous Poly(m-Phenylene Isophthalamide) Composite Fibres
by Xiaosong Li, Bo Li, Qibin Xu, Lingcheng Meng, Deyang Wu, Pengqing Liu, Fabien Salaün and Shengchang Zhang
Polymers 2024, 16(24), 3452; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16243452 - 10 Dec 2024
Viewed by 841
Abstract
Poor breathability, inadequate flexibility, bulky wearability, and insufficient gas-adsorption capacity always limit the developments and applications of conventional chemical protective clothing (CPC). To create a lightweight, breathable, and flexible fabric with a high gas-absorption capacity, activated carbon (AC)-loaded poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) porous composite [...] Read more.
Poor breathability, inadequate flexibility, bulky wearability, and insufficient gas-adsorption capacity always limit the developments and applications of conventional chemical protective clothing (CPC). To create a lightweight, breathable, and flexible fabric with a high gas-absorption capacity, activated carbon (AC)-loaded poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) porous composite fibres were fabricated from a mixed wet-spinning process integrated with a solvent-free phase separation process. By manipulating the pore parameters of as-spun composite fibres, the exposure-immobilization of AC particles on the fibre surface can offer a higher gas-absorption capacity and better AC-loading stability. To improve the mechanical properties of AC-loaded porous as-spun fibres and further optimize the pore-locking structures, the impact of the hot-drawing process on the evolution of pore parameters and the corresponding properties (including the gas absorption capacity, the mechanical performance, and the stability of AC particles during loading) was clarified. After the hot-drawing process, the inhomogeneous pore morphologies composed of mesopores/micropores from as-spun fibres changed into homogeneous and decreased mesopores. With the decrease in structural defects in homogeneous morphologies, the tensile strength of AC-loaded PMIA porous-drawn fibres increased to 1.5 cN/dtex. Meanwhile, the greater total pore volume and specific surface area after hot drawing also maintained the gas-absorption capacity of drawn composite fibres at 98.53 mg/g. Furthermore, the AC-loaded PMIA porous composite fibres also showed comparable performance to the commercial FFF02 absorption layer in terms of static absorption behaviour for different gas molecules and absorption–desorption multi-cycling evaluations. In addition, due to the size reduction in mesopores after the hot-drawing process, the loading stability of AC particles in the stretched composite fibres was more substantial. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technical Textile Science and Technology)
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Review

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23 pages, 505 KiB  
Review
Machine Learning in Polymeric Technical Textiles: A Review
by Ivan Malashin, Dmitry Martysyuk, Vadim Tynchenko, Andrei Gantimurov, Vladimir Nelyub, Aleksei Borodulin and Andrey Galinovsky
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1172; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091172 - 25 Apr 2025
Viewed by 259
Abstract
The integration of machine learning (ML) has begun to reshape the development of advanced polymeric materials used in technical textiles. Polymeric materials, with their versatile properties, are central to the performance of technical textiles across industries such as healthcare, aerospace, automotive, and construction. [...] Read more.
The integration of machine learning (ML) has begun to reshape the development of advanced polymeric materials used in technical textiles. Polymeric materials, with their versatile properties, are central to the performance of technical textiles across industries such as healthcare, aerospace, automotive, and construction. By utilizing ML and AI, researchers are now able to design and optimize polymers for specific applications more efficiently, predict their behavior under extreme conditions, and develop smart, responsive textiles that enhance functionality. This review highlights the transformative potential of ML in polymer-based textiles, enabling advancements in waste sorting (with classification accuracy of up to 100% for pure fibers), material design (predicting stiffness properties within 10% error), defect prediction (enabling proactive interventions in fabric production), and smart wearable systems (achieving response times as low as 192 ms for physiological monitoring). The integration of AI technologies drives sustainable innovation and enhances the functionality of textile products. Through case studies and examples, this review provides guidance for future research in the development of polymer-based technical textiles using AI and ML technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technical Textile Science and Technology)
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