24.11.2021 by Dr. Shona Marsh

NETZSCH – Supporting Olympic Athletes to Prove their Excellence

HighTech sportswear, developed with the NETZSCH Kinexus to keep your muscles warm for maximum performance. Learn how rheology can give more power.

NETZSCH are pleased to announce they have been collaborating in a very exciting project. Working with Swansea University’s Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating (WCPC) and Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM), NETZSCH’s analytical instruments have been used in the development and delivery of a range of advanced wearable technology sport apparel for the elite athletes supported by the English Institute of Sport (EIS).

Fig. 1: Thermal images of quadricep heater panels for Graphene concept garment (left hand image) and traditional heated garment (right hand image). Images are to scale with each other (Source: EIS assembles brightest British minds to power medal hopefuls – EIS (eis2win.co.uk))

A printed flexible heater using carbon-based stretchable graphene ink has been invented using the state of the art Kinexus rotational rheometer. Leading scientists at Swansea University have been using rheology to further understand the structural and flow behaviour of these novel conductive inks, giving this sportswear its extra functionality. Using the Kinexus rheometer, the balance of two competing requirements; the end performance of the “solid material” and the “flow behavior” of printing the ink on demand can be optimized.

Research by A-STEM has shown that maintaining muscle temperature on the day of competition can enhance an athlete’s performance. British athletes in Tokyo, including top medal winners, used this wearable technology to keep their muscles warm before competing, proving the garments a great success.

NETZSCH is proud to be in step with other successful partners who share the same goals in this exciting project. We go the extra mile, so our athletes can too.