Functional clothing, this is also sometimes called, and
there are examples already on the market. Most conspicuously: swimwear with
built-in sunscreen protection, or insect-repellent shirts. (There are even some
lines of anti-microbial underwear, if you're interested.)
True nanoclothing, however, uses particles less than 100 nanometers in diameter distributed throughout the material. The new "Glitterati" clothing line, designed by Cornell University student Olivia Ong, is designed to make you both look good and feel good. The cotton garments are coated with silver and palladium nanoparticles that impart a fashionable gleam. But they also neutralize bacteria and viruses, and can even break down harmful components of air pollution. What's more, because the nanoparticles are so … well, nano … the material moves and feels just like regular cotton. In fact, the active particles are about one thousandth the thickness of the cotton fibers themselves.
Ong worked with the University's fiber science department to create the material, literally dipping positively charged cotton fabric in a solution containing negatively charged metal ions. The ions also repel dirt, making the material less susceptible to stains. Colored particles ingrained in the garment don't fade like dyes, either. So what's not to like?
Well, the $10,000 cost for base materials, for one thing. Also, some people are disproportionately nervous about any kind of nanotechnology. These are just wee little ions, though, not the self-replicating microdroids hyped in breathless media reports and bad science fiction. There's no cause for alarm. As regular readers already know, I have several colonies of nanobots tucked away in my frontal lobes, the result of some elective surgery back in 2002. We get along just fine, although we don't agree on movies at all. They always want to rent Adam Sandler movies, for some reason. Highly irritating.
Bookmark this article:
TrackBack URI for this entry
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form