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Scientists are working to create a new textile material for the U.S. Navy Seals that will generate kinetic energy (from movement) and temperature changes. Backed by the U.S. Office of Naval Research Global (ONRG), this innovative textile is designed to power communication systems and health monitoring devices.
The project, named “Dual Envelope Multifunctional Fabric,” is led by researchers from Tec de Monterrey, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the Federal University of Ceará in Brazil. Their aim is to develop a textile material, based on polyethylene (PE), that combines piezoelectric and thermoelectric effects, meaning it generates electric charges in response to deformation and thermal variations.
Scientists expect the technology to be used in wetsuits for U.S. Navy personnel. Moreover, with some modifications, the fabric could be adapted for various applications, including dive fins, biosensor-equipped bras for female aviators, hovercraft skirts, inflatable boats, unmanned underwater drones, and flexible coatings for energy harvesting in robots operating both underwater and on land.
The U.S. Navy selected this project as one of the winners in the 2023 ONR Global-X Challenge in the category of Multifunctional Fabric for Survivable Platforms. Luis Marcelo Lozano, a researcher at Tec, explained to TecScience that he and his colleagues are developing a textile prototype focused on the needs of divers as primary users, while also considering other applications relevant to survival environments.
“We aim to achieve multifunctionality using two types of components: a passive one, featuring the properties of polyethylene to provide protection against high-pressure depths and thermal regulation for low temperatures, and an active one with piezoelectric and thermoelectric fibers to generate electricity,” Lozano said.
The textile in development consists of two layers of polyethylene fibers, bonded by a spacer and interwoven with additional fibers that can embed other materials to generate energy. The passive component features functionalities that do not require any energy source to operate.
Traditionally, polyethylene has been overlooked for clothing due to its water-repellent chemical structure. However, by modifying its structural and surface properties, it can be harnessed to offer features that are even beneficial for a diving suit.
For example, the hydrophobic properties enable the creation of a functional spacer within the fabric, acting as a protector and thermal insulator to help keep the diver’s body warm despite the frigid temperatures found at depth.
This material could serve as an alternative to neoprene, which is commonly used in diving suits but lacks the features of a smart textile, such as energy generation. Beyond diving suits, Lozano emphasizes that the technology behind this textile material could be beneficial for other types of survival gear, such as for firefighters, providing thermal insulation and health monitoring functions.
“This development aims to help society as a whole. It was proposed as a solution to a challenge faced by the naval sector, but I see potential for commercial use as we move toward clothing that helps monitor vital signs, not just saving energy but generating it for various applications,” he says.