Future of Engineering

Researchers in Portugal have created a "microcapsule" filled with perfume and embedded in fabric maskS unpleasant body odors when using textile products.

Actors have sported double-roles on screen to show off their skills. (Sometimes they do it to test our patience.) Now our clothes have decided to do the same. They've made a fashion statement. Now they want to make a scented statement. And they surely have caught our attention.

These microcapsules need no introduction. They have been used already in scratch-and-sniff stickers and peel-apart fragrance samples. But the textile industry has kept off from this scented technology for a good reason. They knew that current versions make use of formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent. Surely there would be no takers for such clothing.

The textile industry didn't use it. But the lingering fragrance refused to leave. And they couldn't stop thinking about it. So they turned to science to freshen up their attire.

"The researchers identified polyurethane-urea, a type of environmentally-friendly plastic that is compatible with fabrics, as a solution. They used the material to prepare microcapsules containing limonene, the familiar scent abundant in lemons and widely-used in perfumes, and applied the capsules onto wool and polyester samples."

In laboratory tests, the microcapsules showed good performance in terms of prolonged fragrance production and durability. There's a time for everything. Now, it's time to say goodbye to perfumes and deodarants. For your clothes, tailored to perfection would be performing a great double-role.

Source - American Chemical Society