Projects / Programmes
January 1, 2020
- December 31, 2027
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.14.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Textile and leather |
|
| 1.08.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Control and care of the environment |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T470 |
Technological sciences |
Textiles technology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.05 |
Engineering and Technology |
Materials engineering |
| 1.05 |
Natural Sciences |
Earth and related Environmental sciences |
smart textiles, responsive textiles, interactive smart packaging, nanofibres, nanocomposite fibres, technical textiles, 3D-print, 4D-print, biopolymers, biotechnology, sustainable development, recycling, Kansei Engineering
Data for the last 5 years (citations for the last 10 years) on
June 28, 2024;
A3 for period
2018-2022
| Database |
Linked records |
Citations |
Pure citations |
Average pure citations |
| WoS |
484 |
7,494 |
6,637 |
13.71 |
| Scopus |
685 |
10,041 |
8,834 |
12.9 |
Researchers (24)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The growing concern for human health and environmental protection as well as the introduction of the principles of sustainable development in the production, use and recycling, dictate the development of new advanced smart and protective high-performance textile and other polymer materials and their environmental-friendly production processes. This is an important challenge and the driving force of our research within the programme.
Research topics include:
the development of new smart textiles with incorporated temperature- and pH-responsive polymers, photo-, thermo- and pH-responsive colour sensors, photocatalytic-responsive metal oxides and thermomechanical-responsive 3D- and 4D-printed polymer composites,
development of interactive smart packaging with integrated sensors,
development of multifunctional self-foldable knitted structures with an auxetic potential,
development of new high performance durable multifunctional nanofibres and nanocomposite fibres for technical applications,
introduction of biotechnological procedures for textile production and sustainable dyeing processes with the use of natural dyes,
introduction of production processes of biodegradable composites with vegetable fibres,
development of new production processes of sustainable packaging from biopolymers and
introduction of sensory properties in the textile design.
The research topics of the programme are contemporary, technologically innovative and based on transdisciplinary knowledge mastered by the members of the research group. The main objective of the programme is to upgrade the knowledge in the field of sustainable advanced fibrous and other polymeric materials and their ecological-friendly production processes towards the novel ground-breaking results, as well as to achieve a scientific and technological breakthrough, which is the basis for the successful transfer of laboratory results into new industrial processes. An important objective of our research is also to expand the use of textiles and packaging into other economic fields, such as pharmacy, medicine, construction, agriculture, automotive and food industries.
The research programme will significantly contribute to the technological development of the Slovenian textile and graphics industry and increase their competitiveness, facilitate the development of under- and postgraduate education in the field of textiles and graphics and enhance the education level of employees in the economy, preserving Slovenian professional terminology, promoting Slovenian science and enhancing awareness of sustainable development.
Significance for science
The research agendas of the programme Textiles and Ecology, which include the development of new advanced textile and other polymeric materials and their technologically innovative production processes with respect to the principle of sustainable development, represent an interdisciplinary field of research covering polymeric and non-polymeric materials as well as textile, graphic, chemical and electro-technical technologies. The results of our research will upgrade the basic and applied knowledge in different fields of the materials production and understanding of their functional responsive, chemical, physical and mechanical properties. They will provide guidelines for the sustainable approach that dictates the selection and use of sustainable materials, production processes and the finished products.
The research results in the production of smart textiles will significantly upgrade the knowledge in the field of synthesis of responsive polymers and nanogels, colour sensors and metal oxide particles, the mode of their incorporation and the mechanisms of their responsiveness.
New knowledge will importantly contribute to the development of novel scientific approaches in the field of 4D printing of the responsive polymers on flat textile material.
The research results will enable insight to the mechanism of self-foldable weft knitted structures with auxetic potential.
A development of new high-performance durable nanofibres and nanocomposite textile fibres will provide new innovative solutions for the production of multifunctional thermoplastic polymers and textiles.
The results also gain new scientific knowledge related to the processing and properties of composite nanofibres made via electrospinning and melt spinning process of chemical fibres.
The introduction of nanotechnology and other state-of-the-art methods of functionalising polymeric materials are of the utmost importance for the development of textile and graphic science, which puts them alongside other modern advanced professions.
New knowledge gained through research on the ecological life cycle of printed sustainable fibre-based and polymeric materials will contribute to scientific development in the field of printed products, specifically, to the development of flexible and rigid packaging made from recycled and renewable materials with modern printing techniques.
Newly acquired knowledge will contribute to the understanding of the intermolecular physical and chemical interactions between the incorporated additives, agents, sensors and polymeric materials.
Research will connect biotechnology and technology of polymers with textile and graphic technologies, thereby facilitating the transfer of knowledge between disciplines and contributing the development of ’green’ production processes.
The introduction of Kansei Engineering will develop new solutions in designing of textile products.
Significance for the country
Research within the program Textiles and Ecology significantly contributes to the technological development of the Slovenian textile, pulp and paper, and graphic industries on the basis of the principles of sustainable development; it also contributes to the establishment of new small companies (SMEs).
Through the creation of new smart and multifunctional technical textiles and sustainable polymeric materials and the use of environmentally friendly production technologies, we try to increase the competitiveness of the Slovenian industry and SMEs in the international market.
An important objective of the program is to transfer of laboratory results to new industrial processes. In this context, our successful cooperation with experts from textile and pulp and paper industries is essential.
We actively participate in the implementation of the European Textile Technology Platform goals and the European University Association AUTEX strategy.
With the revival of the production and utilisation of textile materials of Slovenian origin, we contribute to the preservation of a uniform regional development and additional employment opportunities. We contribute to the protection of natural heritage by developing ''green technologies''.
Our research results strongly influence the development of under- and postgraduate education in the field of textiles and graphics at the University of Ljubljana. Our mission is to transfer the knowledge to students and younger colleagues.
We actively contribute to the increase of the educational level of the employees in the economy. As lecturers, we are involved in their education within the School IRSPIN. Every year, we organise a Symposium on Novelties in Textiles (48. SNT this year) and Conferences in Information and Graphics Technology (8. International CIGT in 2018).
In cooperation with the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training, we also prepare lectures for secondary school teachers.
Every year we organize the event "Graphic Days in Polhov Gradec" (5th time in 2018), where we provide knowledge transfer in this field.
We promote Slovenian science in the international arena by presenting our research results at conferences, in recognised journals, during visits to foreign universities and through research projects.
Through research in the field of restoration-preservation of textiles and the revival of Slovenian traditional motifs, we are actively involved in the protection of cultural heritage.
By raising awareness of the importance of sustainable use of textile products, we contribute to reducing their quantity in Slovenia.
We are editor-in-chiefs of the internationally established journal Tekstilec. We actively cooperate with journals Paper and EOL. In this way we take care of the development of Slovenian professional terminology.
We are involved in the technical committee of the Slovenian Institute for Standardization and thus contribute to the preparation and adoption of EU standards.
