Clothing that can monitor a person’s vital signs and even store energy is a focus of ongoing research. A research review on MXenes—microscopic materials that can be coated onto fabrics—suggests future garments could track health signals, resist bacteria and harvest solar power, opening possibilities for medical monitoring, fitness tracking and wearable electronics integrated directly into everyday textiles while storing energy within the fabric.
- Smart textiles using MXenes could detect vital signs and also track movement while remaining suitable for integration into everyday clothing.
- Such fabrics could allow doctors and health professionals to monitor patients remotely through garments that track physiological signals.
- MXene-coated materials also show antimicrobial properties, which researchers say could make them useful in specialised medical textiles.
- The review, published in ACS Omega, examined how MXenes could be used to develop new smart textile technologies.
THE STUDY: Researchers at the University of Georgia reviewed emerging work on MXenes, a class of microscopic, two-dimensional materials made from metals that can be printed or coated onto fabrics. Their analysis examined hundreds of published studies to assess how MXenes could be used to develop smart textiles capable of monitoring health signals, powering electronics and reducing bacterial contamination in medical textiles.
- MXenes are microscopic materials that can be integrated into fabrics to enable textiles to carry sensing or electronic functions.
- The review examined hundreds of published studies to assess the properties of MXenes and their potential applications in smart textile development.
- Researchers focused on how MXene-coated fabrics could interact with the human body by sensing physiological signals and supporting wearable technologies.
- The study was led by Joyjit Ghosh, a doctoral student in the University of Georgia’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
- Co-authors of the review include Nishat Rupanty, Tasneem Noor, Tanvir Asif, Sayef Ahmed, Sadhin Howlader and Vladimir Reukov.
THE POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS: The review found that MXene-coated textiles could perform several functions that are currently handled by separate wearable devices. Because the materials can be applied directly onto fabrics, they allow clothing to act as a platform for sensing, protection and energy storage. Researchers noted that these properties could make smart textiles useful in healthcare settings as well as for fitness enthusiasts and others seeking personal health monitoring.
- MXene-based smart textiles could detect body signals such as temperature, blood pressure and heart rate while also tracking movement, allowing clothing to monitor health signals in real time.
- Doctors and other health professionals could use such fabrics to track patients’ vitals and receive alerts if irregular heart rate, blood pressure or temperature is detected.
- MXene-coated materials also show antimicrobial properties, which researchers say could help prevent bacterial growth in hospital textiles.
- Some smart textiles could react to changes in the body, helping regulate temperature while fabrics embedded with energy-harvesting layers could store solar power within the textile itself.
- The materials are flexible and lightweight, making them comfortable during movement and potentially capable of powering small electronics such as phones or laptops through stored solar energy.
THE TECHNICAL HURDLES: Despite their promise, MXenes still face technical and environmental challenges that could affect their widespread use in textiles. The review found that the materials lose effectiveness when exposed to oxygen or water, which raises durability concerns for everyday garments that must withstand repeated washing and regular use. Researchers are now working to reduce oxidation in the materials and improve the sustainability of MXene production.
- Repeated washing or long-term use could reduce the effectiveness of MXene-based textiles because the materials degrade when exposed to oxygen or water.
- This durability challenge is significant for clothing applications, where fabrics must remain stable through frequent wear and laundering.
- MXenes are currently produced using metal-based compounds that require energy-intensive processing methods.
- Researchers are exploring ways to prepare MXenes using more sustainable and environmentally friendly materials.
- The goal is to develop MXene-based textiles that combine longer durability with more sustainable production, including efforts to prepare MXenes using biodegradable materials.
WHAT THEY SAID
MXenes have some advanced properties. Not only can they detect body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate, but they are also antimicrobial, making them ideal for hospital settings. These MXene-based smart textiles can help prevent bacterial growth, which is important because medical textiles always carry a risk of bacterial contamination.
— Joyjit Ghosh
Doctoral Student, College of Family and Consumer Sciences
University of Georgia
