Breakthrough Washable Fibres Set New Standard For Smart Textiles
A team of researchers from Ajou University and collaborating institutions has unveiled a new class of waterproof and conductive tough fibres (CTFs) designed to revolutionize wearable electronics and smart textiles. These next-generation fibres, created using a scalable and eco-efficient manufacturing process, address longstanding challenges in e-textile development, including washability, mechanical durability, and consistent conductivity.
The study showcases how these multilayered fibres, developed through a capillary tube-assisted coating (CTAC) method, can maintain high performance even after prolonged immersion in water and over 100 washing cycles. With a conductivity of 6.42 kS/cm and the ability to stretch up to 70% without performance loss, the fibres outperform many existing materials used in wearable technology.
“Our innovation lies in combining mechanical toughness, waterproofing and washability into one seamless fibre structure,” said lead author Hansu Kim. “This is essential for the practical use of e-textiles in real-world, everyday conditions.”
The CTFs consist of a polyester-rayon core for strength, a middle layer of silver flakes in a waterborne polyurethane (AF–WPU) for electrical conductivity and adhesion, and an outer layer of eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) which forms a self-passivating oxide shell. This layered structure ensures electrical and mechanical resilience under strain and environmental exposure.
Notably, the EGaIn shell imparts IPX8-standard waterproofing, enabling stable operation even after 24 days of submersion at 1.5 metres depth. The CTFs retained their original diameter and conductivity throughout this period, a feat that sets them apart from conventional conductive fibres that often degrade under wet conditions.
Using the CTAC process, researchers demonstrated large-scale production of fibres longer than 20 metres with uniform properties. The team also showcased the fibres’ potential by integrating them into cotton fabrics to power LEDs, enable wireless energy transfer and monitor biosignals such as ECG and EMG with comparable performance to gel electrodes—even after laundering.
“These fibres could redefine how we think about smart clothing,” said co-author Dr. Sungjun Park. “Their resilience and scalability make them ideal for sportswear, medical monitoring and even military applications.”
In addition to performance, the team emphasized the environmental considerations of their process. The water-based polymer system and low-material-waste CTAC method align with growing demands for sustainable manufacturing in electronics and textiles.
The study was supported by grants from the Korean government, including the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. With this technological leap, the researchers hope to lay the groundwork for the next generation of washable, wearable devices.
