KOCHI:
CUSAT scientists are at the break point of developing “smart fabric” that can produce and store energy. They have planned to develop a “smart fabric that can store energy which was honoured with the first Kairali Awards, 2020 instituted by the Kerala State Higher Education Council, Government of Kerala for contributions to the field of research. The research team consists of Dr. Jabeen Fatima M. J, recipient of Kairali Gaveshaka Puraskaram and Dr. Prasanth Raghavan, Associate Professor, Department of Polymer Science and Rubber Technology, Cochin University of Science and Technology.
The proposed fabric is the result of interdisciplinary research conducted in polymer-layered metal oxide hybrid composite fiber electrode for flexible cable super-capacitors. The proposed energy storing “smart fabric” prepared through weaving the super-capacitors as warp and weft is expected to achieve results with utmost quality and can be used in multiple fields because the current generation is leaping towards the next level of portable gadgets that need uninterrupted flow of power.
The present findings of the scientists can be extended for the development of lightweight portable energy storing smart fabrics that can be used for the lighting, heating and for other energy needs of common man and military cops. The proposed research also intends to extend the smart fabric to energy conversion and storage device
based on integrating solar cell/nanogenertors with supercapacitor to be a self powered smart fabric. The work is the collaborative outcome from eminent scientists of CUSAT and University of Bolton UK.
Dr. Prasanth Raghavan, pointed out that the project aims to recognize the excellent opportunities to enhance and store energy in fabric. This idea will also pave way to power the next generation electronic gadgets and portable devices. Dr. Jabeen added that the chaos of energy crisis could be resolved with the implementation of parallel connected cable super- capacitors which aids the sustained release of power for a long duration, increasing the energy density.
