Nanostructures Could Lead to Self-Cleaning Clothes

Engineers at RMIT University in Australia say they have developed nanomaterials that, when applied to the surface of textiles, convert the material into automatic self-cleaning cloth. All it takes is exposure to light for periods as short as six minutes in some of the study’s tests.

The technology is based on coating textile with copper and silver-based nanostructures that become energized when illuminated by the sun or other light source, according to Dr. Rajesh Ramanathan, lead on the RMIT research team. Then, the “hot electrons” degrade organic material, releasing stains or grime from the textile.

An advantage that the textiles themselves deliver is an inherent 3D structure, according to the research team. This means they are “great at absorbing light, which in turn speeds up the process of degrading organic matter,” says Ramanathan.

To bring the concept out of the lab, the RMIT team says the next steps include finding a way to permanently attach the nanostructures to textiles; build them on an industrial scale; and test how well they can handle common stains like tomato sauce or wine.