The motor vehicle manufacturing industry is one of the largest consumers of innovative textile materials.  

Cars contain enough textiles to cover the floor of a small apartment and textiles are in everything from car seats, seat belts, carpets, airbags and roof liners.

In total an average car may contain in the region of 40 m2 of textiles while other components like door panels, brakes and dashboards are made from composites which is a combination of textile fibre and resins (glue). The use of textiles continues to the car’s engine, the air and oil filters and even tyres.

Textiles are perfect for these components because they are versatile, cost effective, light weight and promote fuel efficiency. Natural fibres like cotton, hemp, flax, silk and wool are more readily available and a lot easier to process than the metals used in car manufacturing, thus making them essential in keeping manufacturing costs low.

“Textiles can be manipulated into various shapes with ease and the fibres used in them are light weight which makes for a lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicle. Also, by reducing emissions these textiles contribute to a healthier environment,” says Dr Asis Patnaik from CPUT’s Clothing and Textile Department.

Many of the innovations in car manufacturing can be traced to Formula One racing, where the more conventional use for textiles, in clothing, is also incorporated. The door panels in luxury vehicle are made from carbon fibre composites, which were first used in Formula One cars. The suits worn the by the drivers are also made from material that protects them from the high temperatures and pressures they are subjected to when racing.

“Textiles have a diverse range of applications in automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, building, medical, hygiene, packaging, civil engineering, protective clothing, agriculture and sports. It is a unique and exciting area, where many inter-disciplinary fields are working together in developing a better world,” adds Patnaik.

Written by Abigail Calata

Research is about taking a problem and finding suitable solutions.

This is the mantra of award winning researcher and innovator, Dr Asis Patnaik, who will spearhead research activities in the field of technical/smart textiles at CPUT.

Patnaik recently joined the Department of Clothing and Textile Technology and holding a NRF-C2 rating since 2015, he joins the growing ranks of high profile researchers at CPUT.

A renowned expert in technical textiles, he has extensive experience in working with industrial partners and funding agencies to solve research and development problems, and his efforts have resulted in an impressive 62 publications in peer-reviewed accredited sources and two technology demonstrators.

One of Patnaik’s most notable research ventures resulted in the development of innovative dual insulation (sound and thermal) materials for the building and automotive industries, manufactured entirely from waste plastic bottles and discarded sheep wool. Patnaik says the innovation not only provides consumers with a cost-effective insulation options but has created business opportunities for local entrepreneurs and sheep farmers.

“We want to move away from outsourcing from abroad. Research must also be about creating jobs and empowering people,” he says.

With more than 350 different textiles available in the market, the field of technical textiles is very diverse and is not limited to clothing but extends to textiles and technical textile based materials suitable for the manufacturing, automotive, medical, building and footwear industries amongst others.

“The word “technical textiles” means textile based materials used for technical applications. Some of the examples of such materials are roof celling insulation materials for the building, filters for air and water populations, surgical gowns and face masks used in the medical fields,” says Patnaik.

“In a car interior, there are about 40% textile materials used for various applications. It can be in the form of seat, carpet or sound absorbing materials generally used behind the bonnet or door panel of the car to absorb the engine and road noise.”

Patnaik says it’s an exciting field and one with endless opportunities to innovate.

He is also currently working on several innovative projects, including the design of specailsed footwear for diabetic patients and the development of an antimicrobial textile that will be derived from natural resources.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

Four academics in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment have achieved National Research Foundation (NRF) ratings for 2021 - 2026.

The four staff members were Dr Asis Patnaik (Department of Clothing and Textile Technology) who was awarded with a C2 rating, Dr Bongani Ncube (Civil Engineering and Surveying) and Prof Robert Van Zyl (Electrical Electronic and Computer Engineering) both achieved a C3 rating while Dr Velaphi Msomi (Mechanical Engineering) a Y2 rating.

The Faculty’s Dean, Prof Marshall Sheldon, said the NRF rating system is a key driver in the national science system towards global competitiveness. Sheldon added that the ratings are based on a review system through local and international peers of an individual’s research contributions and impact over the last eight years.

“We are proud to have these esteemed researchers as part of our faculty. What an achievement and keep up the good work,” said the ecstatic Dean.

Ncube, a researcher at the Centre for Water and Sanitation Research, said the C rating is awarded to established researchers with a sustained recent record of productivity in the field, who are recognised by their peers as having:

Produced a body of quality work, the core of which has coherence and attests to ongoing engagement with the field; and

Demonstrated the ability to conceptualise problems and apply research methods to investigate them.

“A C 3 rating means that most of the reviewers who assessed my application concurred that I am an established researcher,” added Ncube.

This rating allows her to pause and reflect on the direction of her research based on what both the local and international reviewers recommended. “When I came to South Africa about eight years ago I picked on research that was already taking place. I then developed my niche research areas in water and agriculture,” she continued. “So, now I need to decide on a specialisation area that integrates both.”

She perceives her new rating as acknowledgment and confirmation that her research is of good quality and that she is on the right track. She added that for CPUT it means the institution’s status is rising as more researchers get counted among leaders in their research fields.

Msomi’s Y2 rating is a category that is awarded to researchers who are younger than 40 years and have their research output recognised internationally. He has been given this rating for five years, after which there will be a review. The review will look at whether he is growing or not. “If I have achieved more during this five-year period, I will then be put to another category which is higher than Y ratings such as C, B and A. The rating comes with funding,” he explains.

This rating means Msomi is ranked as one of the top researchers in the country. The number of rated researchers in an institution also contributes towards the ranking of the university. This means there will be a fraction of points that CPUT will gain from this rating.  

Msomi still doesn’t believe that he is a rated researcher and this is due to his rural educational background. “So I think it will take maybe a year for me to believe that I am a rated researcher... I believe this rating will encourage other researchers in my Department to give research a different view. I also believe that this rating will encourage my postgraduate students in taking their studies more seriously than before.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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