We describe here a heat-compression protocol used on needlepunched commercial nonwoven fabrics which induces an out-of-plane auxetic response in these treated fabrics. The as-received samples, however, are not auxetic and show a decrease in thickness when stretched uniaxially. Using micro-CT imaging it was found that the vertical fiber bundles/columns, produced in the needle punching step of fabric manufacture, are tilted and buckled as a result of the heat-compression treatment. It is suggested that it is likely the reorientation of these columns during subsequent uniaxial strain that drives thickness increase (auxetic response).Variation of instantaneous Poisson's ratio with axial strain for as-received and treated nonwovens.

We have examined the effect of temperature, pressure, and time on the magnitude of induced auxetic response in postmanufacture-processed needle-punched nonwovens. Different combinations of these processing parameters -temperatures ranging from room temperature to above the glass transition temperature (T g ) of constituent fibers, pressure of 0.49 or 2.45 MPa, and duration of 4 or 24 h -were used to process these nonwovens. This resulted in some permanent compression (defined as "compression set") and in out-of-plane auxetic behavior of the fabric, both of which were found to be proportional to the severity of the processing conditions employed. Milder processing conditions were found to be insufficient in producing significant compression set and hence produced little or no auxetic response. Using micro-CT and optical video microscopy techniques, it was found that the processing conditions caused the fiber bundles present in needle-punched nonwovens to assume a buckled/tilted state, which opened up during mechanical extension and hence were instrumental in the observed thickness increase.Out-of-plane Poisson's ratio with strain for as-received and treated nonwovens.

The objective of this research is to understand more fully the outof-plane auxetic behavior of paper. In the reported research, initial characterization of the auxetic properties of common, commercially available papers is described. The results of these experiments suggest that the auxetic response seen in paper structures is related to the cellulose fiber network structure, as previously suggested, and is related to inter-fiber bonding and fiber organization in the sheet. These results also indicate that further study is needed to understand how materials and processing variables influence auxetic behavior. A mathematical model, attempting to explain auxetic response in an idealized arrangement of fibers is included. Ultimately, the fundamental understanding resulting from this research should lead to new product development opportunities for forest product-based paper materials as well as to the establishment of predictive structure-property relations for auxetic materials using paper as a model system.

Flexible strain sensors are promising candidates for intelligent wearable devices. Among previous studies, although crack-based sensors have attracted a lot of attention due to their ultrahigh sensitivity, large strain usually causes fractures in the conductive paths. Because of the unstable crack structure, the tradeoff between sensitivity and workable strain range is still a challenge. As carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) can form a strong interface with the thermoplastic substrate and strengthen the conductive network by capillary force during water evaporation, CNTs and AgNWs were deposited on electrospun TPU fiber mats via vacuum-assisted filtration in this work. The prestretching treatment constructed a microcrack structure that endowed the sensor with the combined characteristics of a wide working range (0~171% strain), ultrahigh sensitivity (a gauge factor of 691 within 0~102% strain, ~2 × 104 within 102~135% strain, and >11 × 104 within 135~171% strain), a fast response time (~65 ms), small hysteresis, and superior durability (>2000 cycles). Subsequently, the sensing mechanism of the sensor was studied. Distributed microcrack propagation based on the “island-bridge” structure was explained in detail, and its influence on the strain-sensing behavior of the sensor was analyzed. Finally, the sensor was assembled to monitor various vibration signals and human motions, demonstrating its potential applications in the fields of electronic skin and human health monitoring.

Advances in the field of auxetics have realized fabricated auxetic materials such as foams, fabrics, and fibers as well as a better theoretical understanding of the auxetic response. Because of their unique properties and applications, commodity auxetic materials are particularly desirable. Needle-punched nonwovens, several kinds of paper, and many knitted and woven fabrics have the potential to be auxetic, either as-produced or through a processing or design solution. In this study, we examine the out-of-plane Poisson’s ratio of as-produced and heat-compressed wool nonwovens. The wool nonwovens were found to be out-of-plane auxetic as-produced, and their auxetic character became more pronounced at higher treatment temperatures. Their behavior could be similar to that of paper, where straightening of a bent fiber was responsible for thickness increase. The prescribed processing conditions to enhance auxeticity could potentially be incorporated in their existing production, providing a pathway to generating commodity auxetics.