Key Facts
Sectors covered: Technological innovation in textiles and clothing
Innovation priority: Smart, high-performance materials
Start: 2020
ELIIT funding: €70 000
FUNCTEX is implemented by a consortium of two companies: Applynano Solutions from Spain and Stimpex from Romania. The project integrates a composite of phase change materials which store heat, and carbon materials, which transfer it into fabrics used to make firefighters’ clothing.
Applynano Solutions provides the technology, while Stimpex is responsible for introducing it into the manufacturing process.
What's the goal?
The goal is to develop garments that reduce thermal stress on firefighters and increase their comfort.
As the composite had already been developed in a laboratory, the partners have boosted the practical application of research in developing these materials for use in advanced textiles.
Key challenges
The critical challenge of FUNCTEX is to ascertain the effectiveness of the phase change material and carbon material composite. Part of this challenge is to then use it to produce textiles with heat storage and dissipation properties for firefighting and industrial protection.
How has ELIIT helped?
The partners expect that the support from ELIIT will help them with the industrial-scale validation of the technology, which allow the products to be commercially sold within the EU. This will open up new market opportunities for both Applynano Solutions and Stimpex.
Cooperation between Applynano Solutions and Stimpex through this project has helped promote the use of innovative materials developed by a small company to produce advanced functional textiles.
Meet the Partners
Applynano Solutions is a technology company offering innovative industrial solutions. It incorporates nanomaterials into polymeric products to confer new properties and enhance their performance. It manufactures and supplies graphene derivatives and thermosetting and thermoplastic polymers, based on graphene and other nanomaterials.
STIMPEX specialises in producing and commercialising protective clothing for military and emergency service personnel.
SME: APPLYNANO SOLUTIONS, S.L.
Country: Spain
Year of creation: 2015
Technical provider: STIMPEX, SA
Country: Romania
Year of creation: 1991