Researchers at Tufts University claim to have developed a novel method of producing water repellent dyed textiles capable of changing colour in the presence of a variety of gases. A number of dyes have been utilised, changes to the colours of which represent an interaction with a potentially hazardous gas. It’s thought this novel fabrication method could be leveraged by the military, in industrial workplaces and in the medical sector to provide a visual guide of exposure levels. The team has reiterated that while this method shouldn’t replace the use of electronic devices that similarly detect volatile gases, dyed threads could provide a cost-effective solution to monitoring the levels of a gas found in an environment.

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