Design and Characterization of Periodically Conductive Woven Fabric

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, a novel kind of electromagnetic (EM) functional textiles is proposed, which show high-pass characteristics as they interact with EM waves. The periodically conductive woven fabric was designed, fabricated, and measured. Specifically, by means of unit cell model building and EM simulation, the theoretical S21 (transmission coefficient) and S11 (reflection coefficient) curves were obtained. A concrete sample was fabricated through weaving process, and its transmission characteristics were measured in the microwave anechoic chamber. The measured and simulated results were highly consistent, demonstrating the validity of design process. Compared with the aluminum foil paper sample, the S21 values of fabricated sample were a little smaller, and the reason could be attributed to yarn crimp and surface roughness. The EM characteristics of fabricated sample under two different polarization modes were slightly different, which was due to the beating-up tension of weaving process. The work could offer new research ideas, and the related products have potential advantages over rigid plates on the account of textile characteristics.