The book covers the basic electrospinning theory, electrospinning technologies that have potential for large scale production of nanofibers, and the functional applications of electrospun nanofibers in different fields. An important needleless electrospinning technique using a rotary fiber generator such as ball, cylinder, disc and wire coil, and the effects of the fiber generator, its shape and dimension, as well as operating parameters on electrospinning performance, fiber morphology and productivity are described. A method to calculate the electric field and analyze electric field profiles in an electrospinning zone is provided. The influence of the fiber collector on fiber quality is also discussed.

Animal protein fibre waste could be aptly utilized by converting them into novel forms such as hydrogels, films, sponges and scaffolds or powder particles. These protein fibre materials in their new forms hold potential for high value technical applications in the field of medical science, environmental protection and composite structures, due to the diverse chemical nature of the parent animal protein fibres. The authors have herewith navigated through the opportunities lying with the animal hair fibre particles trajectory.

The application of photochromism in textiles has potential to create new opportunities to develop fancy colour-changing effects in fashionable textiles, as well as smart garments capable of protecting wearers from the effects of UV irradiation and responding to environmental changes. This book presents a coating method for achieving quick and obvious photochromic effects on wool fabrics using conventional photochromic dyes and hybrid silicas. It covers details about fabricating different types of photochromic dye-silica coatings, measuring their optical performance, assessing some physical characterisations of the coatings, and measuring the effects of the coatings on fabric performance.

This book deals with an emerging nanofibre-making technology, electrospinning, the functionalities of electrospun nanofibres and their wound healing application. An important fundamental issue, fibre morphological evolution during electrospinning, is clarified. Effective techniques to improve the fibre toughness and control the surface wettability of nanofibre membrane have been developed. These functional nanofibre membranes have been used as dressing materials for healing skin wounds, and shown promising results. This work makes electrospun nanofibre membrane an ideal candidate for wound healing application.

Coloured conducting textiles have shown a wide range of potential applications in heating fabrics, electromagnetic wave absorption, and wearable optoelectronic devices. This research aimed at clarifying some issues occurred in the research project on coloured conductive textiles. The investigation firstly clarified a possible chemical reaction that took place between a commercial dispersing dye (Terasil Red G) and the conducting polymer polypyrrole, through chemical separation, structural identification and spectrum characterisations. Then, a series of acidic dyes were introduced into polypyrrole matrix during the vapour coating of conducting polymer on the wool fabrics. Colour and thermal stability studies were conducted. Finally, the polypyrrole nanoparticles (particle size several 200nm) were prepared by a microemulsion polymerisation technique. An acid dye was used as the dopant to re-dope the nanoparticles. The effect of the acidic dye on the optical absorption of nanoparticles was studied. Applying the conducting nanoparticles on wool fabrics may open an alternative path to achieve the coloured conducting textiles.