Release of cotton based heat generating textiles developed by ICAR-CIRCOT on 95th ICAR Foundation Day and Technology Day on 16th July’2023

ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai has developed cotton based heat generating textiles which are flexible, light weight, safe and have better comfort properties. Dr. P. Jagajanantha. Senior Scientist of Quality Evaluation and Improvement Division and his team has developed cotton-based electrically conductive yarns which can be stitched over any fabric. These specially designed yarns have been used in heat generating smart textile products such as automobile seat covers, thermal jackets, heating gloves, warm mouse pads and heating pads etc. The maximum heat generation of 50°C can be achieved within 15 seconds by using 5 to 12 Voltage DC power supply, having current 1 to 2 Ampere. The developed smart textile products are designed with safety measures in which water repellent and flame retardant treatments are given to protect from water permeability and short circuit fire.

The technology has been selected among the Top 5 technologies under agricultural engineering SMD of ICAR for the year 2023 and released at the hands of Hon’ble Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry – Dairy and Shri Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) and Director General (ICAR) during the 95th ICAR Foundation Day and Technology Day celebrated on 16th July, 2023 at National Agriculture Science Complex, Pusa, New Delhi.

The technology has been transferred to M/s. Apricitas Technologies Private Limited, Pune, Maharashtra, which is an authorized supplier of automobile seat covers and other accessories to M/s. Tata Motors Ltd.