Exploration of the application of thermal conductivity of bio-textile materials in wearable devices: insights from molecular biomechanics within cells
Abstract
Heat can leave the body and enter the environment in several ways, including radiation, evaporation, conduction, and convection. Heat transmission between the human body and its environment is known as thermal management, and its goal is to maintain a comfortable body temperature by generating or storing body heat. Clothing regulates body heat and moisture, preventing health issues, and environmental problems due to increased energy consumption. At the cell molecular level, bio-textile materials interact with the body’s thermoregulatory system. Cells have specific membrane proteins that act as sensors for temperature changes. When bio-textiles affect the temperature around cells, these proteins can trigger intracellular signaling cascades. This study investigates the application of thermal conductivity of bio-textile materials in the growth of wearable devices. The research aims to evaluate the thermal conductivity of several bio-textile composites such as cotton, hemp, and bamboo and identify viable options for wearable applications. The thermal characteristics of these materials were tested using standard methods for measuring thermal conductivity. The data is statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA for variance analysis and Tukey’s post-hoc test for the pairwise evaluations. In the study of bio-textile composites like cotton, hemp, and bamboo, understanding these cell molecular biomechanics helps explain why certain materials have better thermal management qualities. Moreover, prototypes of wearable devices, such as fitness bands and smart shirts, were established based on the measured thermal properties. The findings suggest that hemp has better heat management qualities than other bio-textile materials and can be used in wearable technology. Integrating these materials can improve comfort and functionality, aligning with customer demands for bio-textiles. User feedback on improved thermal regulation and wearability can be related back to how these bio-textiles affect cell function and molecular processes, providing a more comprehensive understanding for the development of future wearable solutions.
References
1. Mondal, M.I.H., Islam, M.M., Haque, M.I. and Ahmed, F., 2022. Natural, biodegradable, biocompatible, and bioresorbable medical textile materials. In Medical Textiles from Natural Resources(pp. 87-116). Woodhead Publishing.
2. Berglin, L., 2013.Smart textiles and wearable technology. Högskolan i Borås.
3. Zhou, W.X., Cheng, Y., Chen, K.Q., Xie, G., Wang, T. and Zhang, G., 2020. Thermal conductivity of amorphous materials.Advanced Functional Materials,30(8), p.1903829.
4. Samawat, M.Q., 2024. A Thermal Model for Integrated Circuits (ICs) for Power Delivery Estimation for Realistic Power Map Including the Hot Spots.
5. Swan, M., 2012. Sensor mania! The internet of things, wearable computing, objective metrics, and the quantified self 2.0.Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks,1(3), pp.217-253.
6. Tang, Y., Yu, H., Zhang, K., Niu, K., Mao, H. and Luo, M., 2022. Thermal comfort performance and energy-efficiency evaluation of six personal heating/cooling devices.Building and Environment,217, p.109069.
7. George, A.H., Shahul, A. and George, A.S., 2023. Wearable sensors: A new way to track health and wellness.Partners Universal International Innovation Journal,1(4), pp.15-34.
8. Greiwe, J. and Nyenhuis, S.M., 2020. Wearable technology and how this can be implemented into clinical practice.Current allergy and asthma reports,20, pp.1-10.
9. Farooq, A.S. and Zhang, P., 2021. Fundamentals, materials, and strategies for personal thermal management by next-generation textiles. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing,142, p.106249.
10. Baptista-Silva, S., Borges, S., Brassesco, M.E., Coscueta, E.R., Oliveira, A.L. and Pintado, M., 2022. Research, development, and future trends for medical textile products. In Medical Textiles from Natural Resources(pp. 795-828). Woodhead Publishing.
11. Jia, Y., Jiang, Q., Sun, H., Liu, P., Hu, D., Pei, Y., Liu, W., Crispin, X., Fabiano, S., Ma, Y. and Cao, Y., 2021. Wearable thermoelectric materials and devices for self‐powered electronic systems.Advanced Materials,33(42), p.2102990.
12. Parrilla, M. and De Wael, K., 2021. Wearable self‐powered electrochemical devices for continuous health management.Advanced Functional Materials,31(50), p.2107042.
13. Mahato, K., Saha, T., Ding, S., Sandhu, S.S., Chang, A.Y. and Wang, J., 2024. Hybrid multimodal wearable sensors for comprehensive health monitoring.Nature Electronics, pp.1-16.
14. Ma, Z., Zhao, D., She, C., Yang, Y. and Yang, R., 2021. Personal thermal management techniques for thermal comfort and building energy saving.Materials Today Physics,20, p.100465.
15. Rognoli, V., Petreca, B., Pollini, B. and Saito, C., 2022. Materials biography as a tool for designers’ exploration of bio-based and bio-fabricated materials for the sustainable fashion industry.Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy,18(1), pp.749-772.
16. Galdino Jr, C.J., Medeiros, A.D., Amorim, J.D., Nascimento, H.A., Henrique, M.A., Costa, A.F. and Sarubbo, L.A., 2021. The future of sustainable fashion: Bacterial cellulose biotextile naturally dyed.Chemical Engineering Transactions,86, pp.1333-1338.
17. Faruk, M.O., Ahmed, A., Jalil, M.A., Islam, M.T., Adak, B., Hossain, M.M. and Mukhopadhyay, S., 2021. Functional textiles and composite based wearable thermal devices for Joule heating: progress and perspectives.Applied Materials Today,23, p.101025.
18. Kilinc, M., Ay, E. and Kut, D., 2022. Thermal, Chemical, and Mechanical Properties of Regenerated Bacterial Cellulose Coated Cotton Fabric. Journal of Natural Fibers,19(14), pp.7834-7851.
19. Hossain, M.T., Shahid, M.A., Limon, M.G.M., Hossain, I. and Mahmud, N., Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity.
20. Persons, A.K., Ball, J.E., Freeman, C., Macias, D.M., Simpson, C.L., Smith, B.K. and Burch V, R.F., 2021. Fatigue testing of wearable sensing technologies: Issues and opportunities.Materials,14(15), p.4070.
21. Yang, H., Fan, F.R., Xi, Y. and Wu, W., 2020. Bio‐derived natural materials-based Triboelectric devices for self‐powered ubiquitous wearable and implantable intelligent devices. Advanced Sustainable Systems,4(9), p.2000108.
22. Ramasubramanian, B., Sundarrajan, S., Rao, R.P., Reddy, M.V., Chellappan, V. and Ramakrishna, S., 2022. Novel low-carbon energy solutions for powering emerging wearables, smart textiles, and medical devices.Energy & Environmental Science,15(12), pp.4928-4981.
23. Pradhan, S., Brooks, A.K. and Yadavalli, V.K., 2020. Nature-derived materials for the fabrication of functional biodevices.Materials Today Bio,7, p.100065.
24. Yin, J., Wang, S., Di Carlo, A., Chang, A., Wan, X., Xu, J., Xiao, X. and Chen, J., 2023. Smart textiles for self-powered biomonitoring.Med-X,1(1), p.3.
25. He, X., Fan, C., Xu, T. and Zhang, X., 2021. Biospired Janus silk e-textiles with wet–thermal comfort for highly efficient biofluid monitoring. Nano Letters,21(20), pp.8880-8887.
26. Wang, C., Shim, E., Chang, H.K., Lee, N., Kim, H.R. and Park, J., 2020. Sustainable and high-power wearable glucose biofuel cell using long-term and high-speed flow in sportswear fabrics.Biosensors and Bioelectronics,169, p.112652.
27. Piper, A., Månsson, I.Ö., Khaliliazar, S., Landin, R. and Hamedi, M.M., 2021. A disposable, wearable, flexible, stitched textile electrochemical biosensing platform.Biosensors and Bioelectronics,194, p.113604.
28. Pan, H., Chen, G., Chen, Y., Di Carlo, A., Mayer, M.A., Shen, S., Chen, C., Li, W., Subramaniam, S., Huang, H. and Tai, H., 2023. Biodegradable cotton fiber-based piezoresistive textiles for wearable biomonitoring.Biosensors and Bioelectronics,222, p.114999.
29. Zhang, Y., Li, Y., Li, K., Kwon, Y.S., Tennakoon, T., Wang, C., Chan, K.C., Fu, S.C., Huang, B. and Chao, C.Y., 2022. A large-area versatile textile for radiative warming and biomechanical energy harvesting.Nano Energy,95, p.106996.
30. Shi, H.H., Pan, Y., Xu, L., Feng, X., Wang, W., Potluri, P., Hu, L., Hasan, T. and Huang, Y.Y.S., 2023. Sustainable electronic textiles towards scalable commercialization.Nature Materials,22(11), pp.1294-1303.
31. Dulal, M., Afroj, S., Ahn, J., Cho, Y., Carr, C., Kim, I.D. and Karim, N., 2022. Toward sustainable wearable electronic textiles.ACS nano,16(12), pp.19755-19788.
32. Yin, J., Li, J., Reddy, V.S., Ji, D., Ramakrishna, S. and Xu, L., 2023. Flexible textile-based sweat sensors for wearable applications.Biosensors,13(1), p.127.
33. Iqbal, S.M., Mahgoub, I., Du, E., Leavitt, M.A. and Asghar, W., 2021. Advances in healthcare wearable devices.NPJ Flexible Electronics,5(1), p.9.
34. Mishra, R., Wiener, J., Militky, J., Petru, M., Tomkova, B. and Novotna, J., 2020. Bio-composites reinforced with natural fibers: comparative analysis of thermal, static and dynamic-mechanical properties.Fibers and Polymers,21, pp.619-627.
35. Tabor, J., Chatterjee, K. and Ghosh, T.K., 2020. Smart textile‐based personal thermal comfort systems: current status and potential solutions.Advanced Materials Technologies,5(5), p.1901155.
36. Islas LD. Thermal effects and sensitivity of biological membranes. Curr Top Membr. 2014;74:1-17. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-800181-3.00001-4
37. Bagriantsev SN, Gracheva EO. Molecular mechanisms of temperature adaptation. J Physiol. 2015;593(16):3483-3491. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2014.280446
38. Bao G, Kamm RD, Thomas W, et al. Molecular Biomechanics: The Molecular Basis of How Forces Regulate Cellular Function. Mol Cell Biomech. 2010;3(2):91-105. doi:10.1007/s12195-010-0109-z
39. Liu X, Zheng T, Jiang Y, Wang L, Zhang Y, Liang Q, Chen Y. Molecular Mechanism Analysis of STIM1 Thermal Sensation. Cells. 2023; 12(22):2613. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12222613
40. Okabe, K., Uchiyama, S. Intracellular thermometry uncovers spontaneous thermogenesis and associated thermal signaling. Commun Biol 4, 1377 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02908-2
41. Somero GN. The cellular stress response and temperature: Function, regulation, and evolution. J Exp ZoolAEcolIntegr Physiol. 2020;333(6):379-397. doi:10.1002/jez.2344
42. Knapp BD, Huang KC. The Effects of Temperature on Cellular Physiology. Annu Rev Biophys. 2022;51:499-526. doi:10.1146/annurev-biophys-112221-074832
43. Auliciems, A. Thermal sensation and cell adaptability. Int J Biometeorol 58, 325–335 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0680-9
Copyright (c) 2025 Jiangbo Zhu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright on all articles published in this journal is retained by the author(s), while the author(s) grant the publisher as the original publisher to publish the article.
Articles published in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which means they can be shared, adapted and distributed provided that the original published version is cited.
Submit a Paper
