Nanocomposite-reinforced fibers for superior mechanical properties in high-performance sportswear applications

This work addresses the recently developed concept of nanocomposite-reinforced fibers used for improvement of mechanical behavior of sportswear applications. The recent progress in nanomaterials research has allowed incorporating carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoplatelets and other nanomaterials into polymeric matrix of textile fibers in order to achieve a high strength-to-weight ratio, flexibility, and durability under dynamical loads. The effective elastic parameters of nanocomposites are calculated by means of the Halpin-Tsai model that allows estimating the efficiency of the reinforcements at different nanoparticle volume fractions. Quasi-three-dimensional beam theory is applied to account for the transverse shear deformation and stretching of the layer due to its thickness that is essential for analysis of flexible sportswear. The governing dynamic equations are obtained from Hamilton's variational principle providing consistent inclusion of the kinetic and strain energy interaction in the multilayered nanocomposite system. Finally, the Navier solution technique is used for solving the dynamic equations under typical boundary conditions that are specific to sportswear textile structure. Inverse Laplace transform is used to analyze the transient behavior. The presented approach shows promising prospects for the development of wearable materials with impact resistance and mechanical adaptability.