By: Henne van Heeren

Perhaps surprisingly the earliest commercialized applications of nanotechnology are seen in lifestyle applications. Textile and cosmetics are among the first products to use nanomaterials. This overview discusses these and other examples of nanotechnology materials and technologies in lifestyle applications.

Textile

Treating textiles with nanotechnology materials is a method to improve the properties of the textile, making it longer durable, have nicer colours etc. Nanotechnology can also be used to add new functionalities like energy storage and communications. The next figures show some of the opportunities offered by nanotechnology to improve the functionality of textiles.

Some interesting examples of nano improved textiles currently on the market are:

• Stain repellent and wrinkle-resistant threads woven in textiles.
• Bodywarmers use Phase Change Materials (PCMs) responding to changing body temperatures.
• Nanosocks treated with silver nanoparticles. The silver acts against infection and odour.

Bulletproof vests are another item profiting from nanotechnology. Nanotube fibers are used to make a material seventeen times tougher than the Kevlar. Future developments are to use nanotechnology to create Smart and Interactive Textiles (SMIT) that can sense electrical, thermal, chemical, magnetic, or other stimuli. Currently however, the major part of advanced textiles are relative low tech products like photochromic t-shirts.