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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2: Textiles No Longer Confined to Clothing

Gone are the days where textiles were only used for clothing and furniture covers. More and more firms are turning their attention to high-tech textiles with a wider range of uses; from life-saving devices to car bodies. Scientists are also altering traditional textile uses, such as putting fibers in a battery operated fleece jacket to keep its wearer warmer.

Although using textiles in high-tech devices seems new, many objects in the contemporary world use textiles in atypical ways, like the weavings in rubber tires. Polyester--usually used for clothing--is what gives the tires their shape and durability.

Textiles are more versatile than most people think. The ancient Romans once used fabrics for the stabilization of their roads. Materials like these are also being added to safety belts. They give the belts more absorption and added safety.

Nowadays, threads can be composed of a variety of materials, like metals and carbon fibers. These and other materials are used for their high tolerance and strength. One lab in California has taken it a step farther and added micro-fibers (small fibers) of stainless steel to rope so the rope can conduct electricity. An added benefit is that if those ropes are cut or fraying, they can also set off an alarm to warn of a structural problem.

One California architect is designing a building which would replace steel beams with carbon fibers. These fibers are stronger than steel and would use a woven design rather than the grid design of most skyscrapers. This might even become the new trend in buildings!

--Written by Amelise Javier

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