Hybrid thermoelectric-triboelectric smart knitted fabric for real-time monitoring of vascular crisis and postoperative recovery of severed fingers

Abstract

Microsurgical reimplantation is the most effective option for the treatment of broken fingers. However, there is a high probability of vascular crisis after reimplantation surgery, which may lead to reimplantation failure. Here, a braided thermoelectric-triboelectric yarn (BTTEY) was prepared based on the multi-walled carbon nanotube yarn (MWCNTY). Using a computerized flat knitting machine, the yarn can be directly woven into a double-threaded weft-lined thermoelectric-triboelectric generator (DTWL-TTEG). This structure endows the fabric with high thermo-electric and triboelectric outputs. The thermo-electric power density can reach up to 89 μW·m−2 at a temperature difference of 30 K. The fabric has excellent softness, breathability, and good biocompatibility and can respond to temperature changes in a very short time with extreme sensitivity. In addition, based on the DTWL-TTEG, a smart alarm and postoperative recovery monitoring system has been developed, which can not only provide real-time monitoring of vascular crises with timely alarms, but also can be used to detect the postoperative recovery of the finger. This work provides a new direction for the combination of the thermoelectric effect and the triboelectric effect, and suggests great potential applications in healthcare and safety warning fields.

Keywords

• Thermoelectric
• Triboelectric wearable
• CNTY
• Vascular crisis
• Braided