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EP-4241157-B1 - MECHANO-LUMINESCENT-OPTOELECTRONIC SMART CLOTHING

EP4241157B1EP 4241157 B1EP4241157 B1EP 4241157B1EP-4241157-B1

Inventors

  • RYU, Donghyeon

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20211108

Claims (15)

  1. A structure comprising: a) a filamentous core, wherein the filamentous core comprises an elastomeric material; and b) a coating surrounding the filamentous core, wherein the coating comprises a mechano-optoelectronic material, wherein the structure is a thread.
  2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the thread has a mean diameter of less than about 2 mm, optionally wherein the thread has a mean diameter of less than about 1 mm.
  3. The structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein the elastomeric material is an elastomeric composite.
  4. The structure of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the elastomeric material is a copper-doped zinc sulfide (ZnS:Cu)-based elastomeric composite.
  5. The structure of claim 4, wherein the ZnS:Cu-based elastomeric composite is a ZnS:Cu/polydimethylsiloxane composite, optionally wherein the ZnS:Cu/polydimethylsiloxane composite contains from about 5% to about 70% ZnS:Cu by mass.
  6. The structure of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the mechano-optoelectronic material is a mechano-luminescent-optoelectronic composite.
  7. The structure of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the mechano-optoelectronic material is a film.
  8. The structure of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the mechano-optoelectronic material is a poly(3-hexylthiophene) film.
  9. The structure of claim 8, wherein the poly(3-hexylthiophene) film is a poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester film, optionally wherein the poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester film comprises a 1:1 mass ratio of poly(3-hexylthiophene) to phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester.
  10. The structure of claim 8, wherein the poly(3-hexylthiophene) film is doped with carbon nanotubes.
  11. The structure of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the mechano-optoelectronic material produces a direct current in response to a mechanical force that is exerted on the thread, optionally wherein the mechanical force is a vibrational force or a strain.
  12. The structure of any one of claims 1-11, further comprising a fiber layer surrounding the structure, optionally wherein the fiber layer comprises a natural fiber, a synthetic fiber, cotton, polyester, rayon, or nylon.
  13. The structure of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the structure is twisted with a filament, optionally wherein the structure and the filament are twisted with an S-twist or a Z-twist.
  14. The structure of any one of claims 1-13, wherein the structure further comprises an electrode embedded in the structure, optionally wherein the electrode collects a direct current.
  15. The structure of any one of claims 1-14, wherein the thread has an elasticity of at least about 80%, optionally wherein the thread has an elasticity of at least about 95%.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/111,132, filed November 9, 2020. BACKGROUND Smart clothing can be used to help people prevent heart failure, manage diabetes, measure health parameters, and improve overall quality of life. Smart clothing has been limited to sensors embedded into garments to obtain data. The prior art document WO2019/73375 discloses a mechano-luminescent elastomeric substrate which is a ZnS: Cu/polydimethyl-siloxane composite, being used in strain sensors. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In some embodiments, disclosed herein is a structure comprising: a) a filamentous core, wherein the filamentous core comprises an elastomeric material; and b) a coating surrounding the filamentous core, wherein the coating comprises a mechano-optoelectronic material, wherein the structure is a thread. In some embodiments, disclosed herein is a fabric comprising a structure, the structure comprising: a) a filamentous core, wherein the filamentous core comprises an elastomeric material; and b) a coating surrounding the filamentous core, wherein the coating comprises a mechano-optoelectronic material, wherein the structure is a thread. In some embodiments, disclosed herein is a system comprising a structure of the disclosure or a fabric of the disclosure. In some embodiments, disclosed herein is a method of harvesting energy, the method comprising collecting the direct current electricity produced by a structure, fabric, or system of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A shows an MLO thread comprising a mechano-luminescent copper-doped zinc sulfide-embedded elastomeric composite (101) and a mechano-optoelectronic composite film coating (102). FIG. 1B shows a fabric that is weaved using an MLO material or a thread of the disclosure (black) and a secondary fiber (white).FIG. 2 shows the device set up used to test a sheet material comprising the MLO materials of the disclosure.FIG. 3A shows changes in normalized voltage and strain with time. FIG. 3B shows mean maximum voltage in relation to strain (%). FIG. 3C shows changes in mean maximum voltage in relation to frequency (Hz).FIG. 4 shows a shirt comprising the MLO materials of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Lead zirconate titanate (Pb[Zr(x)Ti(1-x)]O3 or PZT) is useful for sensing applications. PZT is brittle and can break under excessive pressure or deformation. Piezoelectric materials produce high voltages, but the output currents are relatively low, resulting in low total electric output. Mechanical-electrical energy conversion of piezoelectric materials also require mechanical vibrations in a narrow frequency range. This requirement makes the use of piezoelectric sensor modules in wearable applications challenging. Mechano-luminescence-optoelectronic (MLO) materials can serve as self-powering sensor platforms, with other sensing modalities encoded by adding additional physics-responsive materials. Further, the platform size and shape can be customized to a wide range of applications. MLO materials comprise highly flexible materials and perform well when deformed, for example, in wearable applications. MLO materials can have scaled electric output by adjusting the active areas, and DC output can be increased with input mechanical strain/rate magnitudes. Further, the range of active loading frequency of MLO materials is wider and lower to fit the frequency of loadings experienced by wearable applications. Disclosed herein are self-powered and multi-modal sensing wearables (SMSW). In some embodiments, the SMSW comprise MLO materials for self-powered sensing and energy harvesting. The MLO devices used herein can be, for example, light weight, minimally intrusive, small in size, highly flexible, resilient, and/or self-powering. In some embodiments, the multi-modal sensing signals around human bodies can provide information that benefits a user's wellness. In some embodiments, disclosed herein is a structure comprising: a) a filamentous core, wherein the filamentous core comprises an elastomeric material; and b) a coating surrounding the filamentous core, wherein the coating comprises a mechano-optoelectronic material, wherein the structure is a thread. In some embodiments, disclosed herein is a fabric comprising a structure, the structure comprising: a) a filamentous core, wherein the filamentous core comprises an elastomeric material; and b) a coating surrounding the filamentous core, wherein the coating comprises a mechano-optoelectronic material, wherein the structure is a thread. In some embodiments, further disclosed herein is a method of harvesting energy, the method comprising collecting the direct current electricity produced by a structure of the disclosure or a fabric of the disclosure. Mechano-optoelectronic materials In some embodiments, a wearable material of the disclosure can utilize the properties of mechano-optoelectronic materials. In some embodiments, d