An Israeli institute has developed a polymeric fibre or thread that can be industrially woven or knitted into clothing, and changes its chemical properties, like colour, upon contact with ammonia gas, which is hazardous to humans.
- One of the most common toxic gases, high concentrations of ammonia in the air can cause health damage and even death. This innovative development from Shenkar, an academic institution for engineering, design, and art, aims to assist future soldiers on the battlefield in dealing with toxic gas attacks by changing the colour of their clothing from yellow to green.
- The sensor's chemical structure changes, which in turn triggers the colour change. The innovation in this development is the production of a continuous textile fibre that, through material combinations, becomes a gas sensor.
- The active material in the sensor is an organic molecule with a structure that enables it to react with toxic gases like ammonia and potentially other gases in the future.
- It can also enhance safety for workers in chemical industries by directly indicating exposure to toxic gases on their clothing without the need for tags or dedicated meters.
- In the future, the sensor could also be connected to other electronic systems integrated into the fabric. For example, in the case of a factory, it could signal a command or control centre about possible ammonia gas contamination. The goal is to eventually adapt the sensor to other hazardous gases commonly found on the battlefield.
TEAM & TECH: The technology has been developed by Shenkar's Department of Polymer Materials Engineering in collaboration with the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Shenkar's Textile Research Center, and the German Fraunhofer Institute (also known for inventing the MP3 format), and funded by MAFAT.
- The development of this innovative fabric sensor involved Prof. Elizabeth Amir, Head of the Chemical Engineering Department and a senior lecturer in Shenkar's Polymer Materials Engineering Department, Prof. Anna Dotan, head of the Polymer Materials Engineering Department, and Gilad Otorogust, the lead researcher and faculty member in Shenkar's department.
