Yu Annie, Zhang Yijia, Takeuchi Shunji
ST709, School of Fashion and Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Faculty of Fiber Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 1;15(1):11091. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-92552-1.
Wearable cushioned products protect the body during sporting activities or work-related activities. Cushioning paddings made of elastomeric materials are used to absorb impact forces. The paddings are usually inelastic, which could be challenging to accommodate the movement of knee joints and lead to displacement. In this study, a new knitted composite which consists of soft surface layers, a shock absorption middle layer made of monofilament and silicone inlays and additional elastic inlays in the surface layer to accommodate the body contours is developed. The three-layer structure is knitted as 3D knee paddings in a single process. The air permeability, mechanical properties, and subjective wear comfort of the knitted paddings and their impact on muscle activity are evaluated and compared with those of commercially available elastomeric knee paddings. The results show that the knitted padding with a silicone inlay can better absorb impact forces than that without the inlay showing a 14% increment. The 3D knitted padding is perceived to be more soft, elastic and bendable, with a better fit and wear comfort, with more slip resistance than the elastomeric padding with a similar thickness. The outcomes can act as a good reference for the development of textile cushioning materials.
可穿戴缓冲产品在体育活动或工作相关活动中保护身体。由弹性体材料制成的缓冲垫用于吸收冲击力。这些垫子通常缺乏弹性，这可能给适应膝关节的运动带来挑战并导致移位。在本研究中，开发了一种新型针织复合材料，它由柔软的表层、由单丝和硅胶嵌体制成的减震中间层以及表层中用于适应身体轮廓的额外弹性嵌体组成。这种三层结构在单一工艺中针织成三维膝盖垫。对针织垫子的透气性、力学性能、主观穿着舒适度及其对肌肉活动的影响进行了评估，并与市售弹性体膝盖垫进行了比较。结果表明，带有硅胶嵌体的针织垫比没有嵌体的针织垫能更好地吸收冲击力，增幅达14%。与厚度相似的弹性体垫子相比，三维针织垫被认为更柔软、更有弹性且更易弯曲，贴合度和穿着舒适度更好，防滑性更强。这些结果可为纺织缓冲材料的开发提供很好的参考。
