Chapters authored
Life Cycle Assessment of Flexible Electromagnetic Shields
Nowadays, fiber based flexible electromagnetic shields have widespread applications in ensuring Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC). Shielding is a solution of EMC, and the main methods to estimate shielding effectiveness are represented by the circuit method and the impedance method. Magnetron sputtering of metallic layers represents a novel technique to impart electric conductive properties to fabrics. Coating of fabrics represents a second main option to manufacture textile shields beside the insertion of conductive yarns in the fabric structure. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is often used to assess a comparatively modern with a classical manufacturing process in order to prove its eco-friendly character. This chapter comparatively assesses flexible EM shields manufactured of fabrics with inserted conductive yarns with and without magnetron plasma coating. The copper plasma coating of cotton fabrics with inserted silver yarns increases shielding effectiveness (EMSE) by 8–10 dB. In order to keep for the LCA study the same functional unit of 50 dB at 100 MHz for one sqm of fabric, the fabric structure is modeled with a reduced distance between the inserted conductive yarns. Results of the LCA study show a substantial impact on the environment for the plasma coated fabric upon using a laboratory scale deposition set-up.
Part of the book: Recent Topics in Electromagnetic Compatibility
E-Textiles to Promote Interdisciplinary Education
Electronic textiles (e-textiles) is a current research and development direction of the textile domain. As final applications, e-textiles may monitor human vital signs for sports and medicine, may extend garment functionality for entertainment, or ensure electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) using flexible textile shields. However, this book chapter focuses on a certain aspect of e-textiles, namely, their role in promoting interdisciplinary education. E-textile products are the result of material science, physics, mathematics, mechanics, electronics, and more recently of software and Artificial Intelligence (AI). This was the rationale for initiating three Erasmus+ projects in the field of e-textiles to foster interdisciplinary training for students and young professionals. The new educational materials tackle the relation between Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) disciplines of the official curricula and some of their final applications, such as e-textile prototypes. The educational materials are conceived in a problem-based learning (PBL) approach. The presented examples encompass fabrics with inserted metallic yarns and metallic coating for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, pressure sensors, and related electronic data processing, as well as virtual prototyping of Radio frequency (RF) suits. EMC is tackled from an educational perspective.
Part of the book: Innovation and Evolution in Tertiary Education [Working title]