Assessing Light Emission in Polymer Optical Fiber‐Infused Smart Materials for Application as E‐Textiles

ABSTRACT

Optical fibers (OF) are slender, transparent, cylindrical filaments consisting of a central core, cladding, and coating, typically made of materials like glass or polymer. In textiles, OFs are present in several studies, either through sensors or luminescent textiles. The focus of the work is characterizing polymer optical fiber (POF) inserted using sewing techniques to develop smart textiles capable of light emission. Using a standard sewing machine, POF was stitched in various geometric shapes (straight line, rectangle, and circumference). Samples underwent tests mimicking real‐world textiles use, including washing, drying, and abrasion resistance. Light transmissibility tests were conducted using a laser emitting constant light, and luminance intensity was evaluated using specialized software. Results showed a decrease in luminance intensity with distance from the light source. In addition to the light emission capability, the introduction of OF via sewing enables the production of new products with smart properties suitable for diverse monitoring applications.