UiO-66 Inspired Superhydrophobic Coatings Fabricated from Discarded Polyester/Spandex Textiles.

We report on a method for synthesizing superhydrophobic coatings using a UiO-66 metal-organic framework (MOF) with discarded polyester/Spandex fabrics as raw materials. Unlike traditional recycling techniques that involve separating non-poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) components, our approach directly uses blended polyester/Spandex fibers. Discarded polyester/Spandex fabrics were exposed to an alkaline depolymerization process to produce disodium terephthalate (NaBDC), which is a known linker for UiO-66 synthesis.

Carbonized Cotton Fabric-Based Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensor Using a Porous Dielectric Layer with Tilted Air Gaps.

Flexible and wearable pressure sensors have attracted significant attention owing to their roles in healthcare monitoring and human-machine interfaces. In this study, we introduce a wide-range, highly sensitive, stable, reversible, and biocompatible pressure sensor based on a porous Ecoflex with tilted air-gap-structured and carbonized cotton fabric (CCF) electrodes. The knitted structure of electrodes demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed sensor in enhancing the pressure-sensing performance in comparison to a woven structure due to the inherent properties of naturally generated space.

Ultrasensitive Strain Sensor Based on Pre-Generated Crack Networks Using Ag Nanoparticles/Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube (SWCNT) Hybrid Fillers and a Polyester Woven Elastic Band.

Flexible strain sensors are receiving a great deal of interest owing to their prospective applications in monitoring various human activities. Among various efforts to enhance the sensitivity of strain sensors, pre-crack generation has been well explored for elastic polymers but rarely on textile substrates. Herein, a highly sensitive textile-based strain sensor was fabricated via a dip-coat-stretch approach: a polyester woven elastic band was dipped into ink containing single-walled carbon nanotubes coated with silver paste and pre-stretched to generate prebuilt cracks on the surface.

Effectiveness of skin-heating using a water-perfused suit as passive and post-exercise heat acclimation strategies.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of passive and post-exercise heat acclimation strategies through directly heating the skin with a water-perfused suit. Nineteen young males participated in the heat acclimation (HA) protocols for 10 days, which were conducted at an air temperature of 33C with 60%RH. The exercise-only condition (N = 6) conducted 1-h treadmill walking (6 km·h) followed by 1-h rest.

Effects of cold exposure discontinuation on finger cold-induced vasodilation of older retired Korean female divers 'Haenyeos'.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of cold exposure discontinuation on local cold tolerance of older retired female haenyeos in Korea. A total of 30 older women participated in this study: older retired haenyeos (89 ± 4 y in age, N = 10), active haenyeos (current divers) (75 ± 4 y, N = 10), and age-matched non-divers (75 ± 6 y, N = 10). Our criterion for local cold tolerance was cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) of the finger.

Adaptive changes in physiological and perceptual responses during 10-day heat acclimation training using a water-perfused suit.

Background: While active heat acclimation strategies have been robustly explored, not many studies highlighted passive heat acclimation strategies. Particularly, little evidence demonstrated advantages of utilizing a water-perfused suit as a passive heating strategy. This study aimed to explore heat adaptive changes in physiological and perceptual responses during 10-day heat acclimation training using a water-perfused suit.

Auditory canal temperature measurement using a wearable device during sleep: Comparisons with rectal temperatures at 6, 10, and 14 cm depths.

Monthly rhythms in the body core temperature of women during sleep can provide significant information concerning hormonal fluctuations. The purpose of the present study was to examine and evaluate auditory canal temperature (T), measured with a newly-developed wearable and wireless device, as a practical index to estimate body core temperature variations during a 7-h sleep period. Comparisons with rectal temperature (T) at different depths were conducted.

Effects of feet warming using bed socks on sleep quality and thermoregulatory responses in a cool environment.

Background: As a way of helping to sleep in winter, methods of warming the feet through footbaths or heating pads before bedtime are tried. In particular, bed socks are popular during winter sleeping in Korea, but scientific evidence about the physiological effects of bed socks on sleep quality is rarely reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of feet warming using bed socks on sleep quality and thermoregulatory responses during sleep in a cool environment.