The main goal of this interdisciplinary project is the targeted development of a prototype of a fibrous support for growing tissue cells, based on the textile technique of electrospinning. A major challenge in carrier electrospinning is the need for a structure with pores of sufficiently large diameter (macro scale) to facilitate cell penetration and fibers of small enough diameter (nano scale) to mimic the natural extracellular environment.

The project main goals are establishing of interdisciplinary research group, with young doctoral researcher, and Laboratory for Controlled Monitoring of the Crosslinking Process, enabling systematic research and knowledge transfer to solve the problem of generating textile dust, a disease carrier and instrument stoppage causer, in the hospital environment. The textile fabrics of cotton fibers (CO) and their polyester blends (CO/PES) will be produced. The influence of yarn, weave and fabric construction to the generating of textile dust before and after washing cycles will be researched. The conditions of cationization and antimicrobial finishing with quaternary ammonium compounds, ß-cyclodextrins with encapsulated antimicrobial agents, and chitosan will be developed to achieve permanency to textile care with minimizing chemical and mechanical damage, thereby contributing to a lower release of textile dust. By setting up a Laboratory, the fabric sorption of the bath with antimicrobial agents will be investigated through interfacial properties (DSA30S), and in situ heat-monitoring (FTIR-ATR GG) of physical-chemical change in fabric will be performed, in order to precisely define the bath composition and process parameters to achieve durable crosslinking. The change in CO and CO/PES during and after treatment, and after the textile care cycles, will be analyzed on crystalline, physico-chemical, morphological and interfacial level using FE-SEM, TGA, FTIR, XRD, MCC, GS-MS, EKA, SFE, CA, MMT, WRV, UV-VIS spectrophotometry. For the purpose of health and environment protection, all newly developed fabrics will be tested on toxicity and, according to the obtained results, their usage in the hospital environment with the proposal of detergent formulations and procedures for their care will be suggested. The finding and implementation of new ideas will be directed towards entrepreneurship with the aim of economic growth, and further research within new project application.

Knowledge 4Foot (K4F) project has contributed at fostering the excellence in training for footwear manufacturing by linking the three areas of education, research, and business-oriented innovation and has demonstrated good practices of cooperation and has bridged the worlds of education and work.To this purpose, the project has achieved the following objectives: 1) set-up a new Knowledge Platform for transferring research and innovation for footwear manufacturing where the HE students have received project-based training into a virtual environment by simulating all developing stages of the research projects, having as starting point the real identified needs in leather and footwear companies; 2) developed active collaboration among education, business community and research and had assessed the skills needs on innovation, research, development, and technological transfer; 3) designed a common curriculum and related e-learning content which incorporated creative thinking, problem-solving approach and project-based learning for virtual internship in the Knowledge Platform for transferring research and innovation.Based on the authentic and adequate needs of both actual business environment and learning and training programs for managers, engineers/technicians and designers in footwear sector, the K4F project has contributed at developing sustainable solutions to attuning curricula for placement/internship and has developed skills and competencies in area of project-based work focused on research, innovation and technological transfer. Thus, the K4F project had a significant impact on the development of education and training and has brought added value at EU level.K4F project has proposed, created, tested and evaluated contents and methodological solutions by developing synergies between different fields of higher education and training for educating and training the next generation of managers/ engineers/ technicians/ product and process developers/ high skilled workers that will be able to understand innovation, to perform applied research activities and to transfer the newest technological inputs from research to leather and footwear companies from partner countries and elsewhere in Europe.The online training courses, the virtual internship, as well as the Intensive Learning Activities, undertaken by the target group within the framework of the Knowledge Platform for transferring research and innovation in footwear manufacturing have stimulated innovative and creative mindsets of students, and have allowed the application of their knowledge and research insights.In terms of further sustainability, the universities running courses for managers, designers and engineers/technicians and the training centres running courses for the industry could adopt the virtual internship as a preparatory stage for learners’ placements into a real company. Moreover, the business community (SMEs and research centres) could be in contact with future employees in the early stages of the learning/training process.

The demand for advanced textile materials has dramatically increased during the last few decades, in particular for engineering, medical and technical applications. A new sight proposed by this project is in the merging of so far separate research teams involved in the development of advanced textile materials, through targeted eco-driven surface modifications. Surface pre-treatments and modification will be carried out on selected sustainable textile materials, using environmentally friendly substances and processes, in order to attain antimicrobial, flame retardant, oil/hydrophobic, wellness or medical properties obtaining high added value textiles. Different environmentally friendly methods of microwave, ultrasound or plasma modification processes will be used to enhance targeted functionalities as well as to increase interfacial adhesion between fibres and polymer matrix in fibre reinforced composites. The other approach of the production of highly active surfaces which will have capability to block UV and microwave radiation, enhance oil and water repellence, antimicrobial, self-cleaning, and flame retardant properties is in the application of micro/nano-particles such as TiO2, ZnO, Cu, Ag and Au. These particles can be applied on the surface of fibers, textiles, clothing or inlayers for footwear. Detailed characterization of each treatment effectiveness, so as their effect on humans and the environment will be investigated. Laundering durability and maintenance properties are equally important as the effectiveness of developed advanced material. Introduction of novel eco-driven surface modification processes in textile production will be complemented by the risk analysis and sustainability issues, focusing onto production and product safety, usage and recyclability of newly developed product without significant environmental burden. Innovative textile products will be directed towards the needs of the textile, chemical, pharmaceutical or medical industries.