Electromagnetic (EM) radiation may be harmful for human’s health and for functioning of electronic equipment. The field of Electromagnetic Compatibility approaches various solutions to tackle this problem, while shielding of the radiation is one of the main solutions. Since the development of spinning technology for producing conductive yarns for fabrics, textile electromagnetic shields have become a valuable alternative to metallic shields. Their main advantages are given by the flexibility, the low weight and the good mechanical resistance, as well as by the possibility to precisely design the shield. The scientific literature includes several analytic relations for estimating the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE), in case of woven fabrics with conductive yarns, which may be modeled as a grid of electric conductors. This book chapter tackles three different analytic models for estimating EMSE, which are useful to predict this functionality in the design phase of fabrics. The analytic relations are subsequently comparatively validated by EMSE measurements via TEM cell equipment of two woven fabrics with conductive yarns out of stainless steel and silver with a grid of 4 mm. Results of validated analytic relations are used for the approach of designing textile shields with regard to final application requirements.
Part of the book: Textiles for Functional Applications
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]