Hydrogels and Aerogels for Functional Textiles: From Sustainable Syntheses to Applications

Explores sustainable innovations with hydrogels and aerogels for high-performance, eco-friendly textile applications

The increasing global demand for sustainable, multifunctional, and high-performance materials has positioned hydrogels and aerogels as transformative resources within textile engineering. Hydrogels and Aerogels for Functional Textiles: From Sustainable Syntheses to Applications provides an in-depth treatment of the science, synthesis, and practical use of these advanced materials. Covering both fundamental research and applied technologies, this comprehensive volume highlights the growing importance of renewable and biodegradable systems, offering readers a robust understanding of how cellulose-based hydrogels and aerogels are driving innovation in eco-fashion, biomedical textiles, protective clothing, and smart wearable systems.

Organized into thematic sections, the book begins with an introduction to the chemistry, synthesis methods, and structural properties of hydrogels and aerogels, detailing their functional advantages in moisture management, thermal insulation, flame resistance, antimicrobial activity, and biodegradability. It then examines cutting-edge applications ranging from sustainable fashion solutions to advanced biomedical systems such as wound dressings, drug delivery platforms, and biosensors. Later chapters explore their roles in adaptive wearables, protective clothing, and extreme-environment gear, underscoring their transformative impact on multiple industries. The concluding sections address critical barriers to commercialization, including cost efficiency, recycling, and biocompatibility, while proposing innovative strategies rooted in green chemistry and circular economy models.

The first comprehensive resource of its kind to link hydrogel and aerogel fundamentals to textile applications, Hydrogels and Aerogels for Functional Textiles:

• Features contributions from leading international experts in textile engineering, materials science, and biomedical research
• Covers natural, synthetic, hybrid, and responsive material systems
• Applies practical focus on recyclability, durability, and economic feasibility of advanced textile systems
• Integrates sustainability principles with circular economy and green chemistry approaches
• Includes case studies illustrating innovations in areas such as eco-fashion and wearable technologies
• Offers forward-looking discussions of market trends, regulation, and commercialization challenges

Hydrogels and Aerogels for Functional Textiles: From Sustainable Syntheses to Applications is an essential reference for graduate and postgraduate students in textile engineering, materials science, and polymer chemistry, as well as researchers in environmental science and biomedical engineering. It is equally valuable for courses in sustainable textiles, functional materials, and advanced polymer engineering.

Sheraz Ahmad is an Associate Professor at the National Textile University, Pakistan, with a PhD in Textile Engineering from Université de Haute Alsace Mulhouse, France. He has authored over 70 journal articles, five books, and numerous conference papers. His research includes innovative fiber extraction technologies and sustainable textile solutions licensed for industrial use.

Faheem Ahmad is an Assistant Professor at the National Textile University, Faisalabad, Pakistan. He holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey. His research focuses on functional textiles and sustainable natural fibers, with over 40 publications addressing materials processing and life cycle assessments.

Yasir Nawab is a leading scholar in textile engineering, serving as Adjunct Professor at North Carolina State University and Tenured Professor at the National Textile University, Faisalabad. He has published more than 170 journal papers and edited over 10 books, significantly advancing research and practice in textile science.

Farooq Azam is a Lecturer at the National Textile University, Faisalabad, with a PhD in Textile Engineering. His work emphasizes hydrogel- and aerogel-based polymeric fibers derived from natural materials, contributing more than 25 peer-reviewed journal articles to the field of functional textiles.