• The National R&D Institute for Textiles and Leather - INCDTP (RO)
• "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi, Faculty of Textile Leather and Industrial Management (RO)
• Dogal Destek Urunleri Arastirma Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. (TR)
• Magnum SX SRL (RO)
• UNITEKS Tekstil Gida Motorlu Araclar San.ve Tic.A.S. (TR)

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:

The main objective of AromaTex project is to produce aromatherapeutic garments (sports and leisure wear) and skin/body care products (dresings and facial masks for microbial infections treatment and cosmetic pads for skin hydration and anti-acne) by using biologically path for essential oils and apiculture products.

SCIENTIFIC CONCEPT:

The AromaTex project builds on the commercial interest of SME partners in producing and selling of new textiles promoting wellbeing, by immobilization of biologically active compounds at the substrate surface and development of an efficient environmentally friendly functionalization bioprocesses for health care and stress management. The target applications are textiles used in close contact with human skin and that could benefit in terms of life quality, by being made of natural products & ecological processes. As a project results, tehnological knowledge of aromatherapy, biologically active compounds compatible to the textile fabrics and technological way of immobilization will be explained by laboratory simulated industrial process, up to pilot scale application and end-products developments. Application methods of the selected polymer bioactive compound systems will be optimized from technological, quality, ecological and therapeutically point of view.

TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES:

• Development of polymer bioactive compound systems with tailored properties to be used for development of aroma therapeutic and skin/body care textiles;
• Optimization of the polymer bioactive compound systems adapted to an up-scalable technology for depositing on textile fabrics, with a particular focus on therapeutically desired effect and controlled release of essential oils;
• Prototype pilot scale up and validation of immobilization technology;
• Production of aroma therapeutic garments and skin/body care end-products.

EXPECTED EXPLOITABLE RESULTS & DELIVERABLES:

• A set of essential and fixed oils containing active substances & extraction protocol;
• A set of microparticle systems with controlled release of bioactive compounds & synthesis;
• A set of hydrogel and emulsions / dispersion systems containing essential oils & synthesis methods;
• Knitted and woven textile structures compatible to the selected application field.
• Optimized bioactive compound systems in form of emulsions and microparticles;
• Optimized technologies for immobilizations of polymer-bioactive compound systems on textile materials;
• Prototypes of aroma therapeutic microparticles obtained for pilot scale application;
• Prototypes of emulsions for skin/body care obtained for pilot scale application;
• Woven/ knitted textile materials prototypes containing aroma therapeutic microparticles and/or emulsions for skin and body care.

RESULTS:

• 4 Variants of biologicaly active systems in the forms of stable emulsions;
• 1 Report on synthesis methods of stable emulsion and its characterization;
• 3 Variants of woven textile structures and 19 variants of knitted textile structures for aromatherapy and / or skin care;
• 12 Variants of woven / knitted textile structures ecologically preliminary treated;
• 2 Laboratory technology for immobilization of the polymer-bioactive compound systems (emulsions) on textile materials;
• 36 Variants of textile materials (woven/knitted) treated with stable emulsions;
• 1 laboratory technology for immobilization of microcapsules containing bioactive compounds on different textile materials;
• 64 Variants of textile materials (woven/knitted) treated with dispersions of microcapsules with essential oils;
• 1 Report on complex characterization of textile materials for aromatherapy and skin care;
• 1 Project website;
• 1 Article accepted for publication in ISI rated journal - INDUSTRIA TEXTILA;
• 2 Articles published in procedings volume of International Conferences BDI rated/un-rated;
• 7 Communications as oral presentations or posters at national and international conferences.

Lavandula Angustifolia	Mentha piperita	Origanum onites	Rosemarinus Officinalis

Optical analysis of emulsions
	Optical microscopy
OBTAINED RESULTS IN 2019: knitted structures variants made of Bamboo/Lenpur/polyamide fibers, treated with melamine shell microcapsules containing rosemary/mint essential oil; Various application recipes of ethylcellulose shell microcapsules containing tyme/rosemary/lavander/ mint essential oil; Emulsions based biologicaly systems containing essential oils, tested and applied on textile materials, including experimentation report of immobilization technologies; Testing report containing general and specific characteristics of woven/knitted textile materials with aromatherapeutic and/or skin care effects obtained as prototypes; Women socks and men`s socks with aromatherapeutic properties, functionalized with lavender, rosemary, mint and thyme microcapsules; Pillow case with aromotherapeutic properties functionalized with lavender and rosemary microcapsules; Patches with antimicrobial, softening and moisturizing properties containing the following biological polymeric systems: i) agar-chitosan-rosemary essential oil; ii) agar-chitosan- lavender essential oil; iii) xanthan gum-thyme essential oil; iv) xanthan gum-gelatin-lavender essential oil system; Technical-economical documentation for the new products: i) patches with antimicrobial, softening and moisturizing properties; ii) socks for women or men with aromatherapeutic properties
Biologic active systems variants selected for application on textile materials
Aromatherapeutic patches prototypes
Application on skin of patches containing biologic active systems

Men`s socks prototypes (Bamboo fibres)	Men`s socks prototypes (Lenpur fibres)	Women socks prototypes (Bamboo fibres)	Women socks prototypes (Lenpur fibres)
Aromatherapeutic socks prototypes functionalized by immobilization of microcapsules containing thyme/ rosemary/ mint essential oil

70% cotton/ 30% linen woven fabrics treated with microcapsules with lavender essential oil content	70% cotton / 30% hemp woven fabric treated with microcapsules with rosemary essential oil content	60% cotton / 40% linen woven fabric treated with microcapsules with thyme essential oil content
Decorative pillows prototypes with aromatherapeutic effect functionalized by immobilization of microcapsules containing lavender/ rosemary/ thyme essential oils

DISSEMINATION ACTIONS OF THE PROJECT:

ARTICLES:

• PRICOP Floarea, POPESCU Alina, RASCOV MArian, CHIRILA Laura, Scarlat Razvan, BUZDUGAN Maria, CEREMPEI Angela, MURESAN Emil, Study on the aromatherapeutical effects of textiles functionalized by herbal extracts, article published on Proceedings Volume of the 7th International Conference on Advanced Materials and Systems, 18-20 October, Bucharest, Romania, pp. 147-153, ISSN: 2068-0783;
• MURESAN Augustin, ZAHARIA Carmen, DANILA Angela, SUTEU Daniela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, POPESCU Alina, CHIRILA Laura, CEZAR Radu Doru, Preliminary research on preparation emulsions mint oil, published on Proceeding Volume of The XXII th International Conference of Inventics "Inventica 2018", Iasi, 28th June - 29th June 2018, pp. 27-35, ISSN: 1844-7880, Romania.

• DANILA Angela, ZAHARIA Carmen, SUTEU Daniela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, LISA Gabriela, KARAVANA Sinem Yaprak, TOPRAK Ali, POPESCU Alina, CHIRILA Laura, Essential mint oil-based emulsions: preparation and characterization, Industria Textila, Vol. 70, no. 1, p. 83-87, ISSN: 1222–5347, 2019, (IF= 0.504) https://doi.org/10.35530/IT.070.01.1581
• Miruna S. STAN, Laura CHIRILA, Alina POPESCU, Denisa M. RADULESCU, Diana E. RADULESCU, Anca DINISCHIOTU, Essential oil microcapsules immobilized on textiles and certain induced effects, Materials, Vol 12, no. 12, 2019, (IF= 2.97), https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12122029,
• DANILA Angela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, POPESCU Alina, ROTARU Vlad, ISTRATE Cristina, The potential of aroma textiles in North-East Romania, Industria Textila, Vol. 70, no. 5, p. 487-492, 2019, ISSN: 1222–5347 (IF= 0.504) https://doi.org/10.35530/IT.070.05.1621
• Angela DANILA, Emil Ioan MURESAN, Carmen ZAHARIA, Alina POPESCU, Vasile Ciprian MACAREL, Beeswax-based emulsions for topical application, Conference Proceedings, Vol. 19, no. 6.1, Micro and Nano Technologies Advances in Biotechnology, p. 43-50, The 19th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2019, 28 June - 7 July, 2019, Albena, Bulgaria (Proceedings ISI)
• Diana-Elena RADULESCU, Alina POPESCU, Angela DANILA, Laura CHIRILA, Emil Ioan MURESAN, Bioactivity and dermal toxicity of skin care textiles, Conference Proceedings, Vol. 19, no. 6.1, Micro and Nano Technologies Advances in Biotechnology, p. 51-59, The 19th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2019, 28 June - 7 July, 2019, Albena, Bulgaria (Proceedings ISI)

COMMUNICATIONS:

• MURESAN Augustin, ZAHARIA Carmen, DANILA Angela, SUTEU Daniela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, POPESCU Alina, CHIRILA Laura, CEZAR Radu Doru, Preliminary research on preparation emulsions mint oil, poster presentation at The XXII th International Conference of Inventics "Inventica 2018", Iasi, 28th June - 29th June 2018, Romania;
• DANILA Alina, CHIRILA Laura, COSTAN Lenuta Irina, Kinetic modeling on rosemary essential oil release from beeswax matrix, poster prezentation at The 7th International Technical Textiles Congress-ITTC2018, 10-12 October, 2018, Izmir, Turkey;
• PRICOP Floarea, POPESCU Alina, RASCOV MArian, CHIRILA Laura, Scarlat Razvan, BUZDUGAN Maria, CEREMPEI Angela, MURESAN Emil, Study on the aromatherapeutical effects of textiles functionalized by herbal extracts, poster prezentation at 7th International Conference on Advanced Materials and Systems, 18-20 October, Bucharest, Romania;
• PRICOP Floarea, POPESCU Alina, CHIRILA Laura, RASCOV Marian, BUZDUGAN Maria, Nature vibration in textile materials treated with plant extracts, oral presentation at the seminar "Textile and Leather Industry through Traditition to Sustainability by Research-Development-Innovation", organized within MODEXPO FAIR, 27 September 2018, Bucharest, Romania;
• MURESAN Augustin, DANILA Angela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, POPESCU Alina, CHIRILA Laura, RADU Cezar Doru, Emulsion stability of lavender essential oil in beeswax matrix, poster presentationat at 17th Romanian Textiles and Leather Conference - CORTEP 2018, 7-9 November 2018, Iasi, Romania;
• ZAHARIA Carmen, DANILA Angela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, SUTEU Daniela, Preliminary analysis of emulsions based on beeswax-rosemary essential oil used for manufacturing of value-added textiles for aromatherapy and skin care benefits, poster presentation at Confence of Chemistry Faculty of Iasi - IasiChem 2018, 25-26 October, 2018, Iasi, Romania;
• ZAHARIA Carmen, DANILA Angela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, SUTEU Daniela, Emulsion based on beeswax-essential vegetal oil used for manufacturing of value-added textiles, poster presentation at International Fair of Inventions and Practice Ideas - Invent Invest 2018, Chisinau, Republica Moldova.

• Carmen ZAHARIA, Angela DANILA, Emil Ioan MURESAN, Rodica MURESAN, Emulsions based on beeswax - essential vegetable oil used for manufacturing of value-added textile materials for aromatherapy and skin care benefits, poster presented at International Conference: “International Fair of Inventions and Practical Ideas - Invent - Invest 2019, Xth edition, paper section - Practical ideas / Business ideas”, organized by the University of Oil and Gas (UPG), Ploiesti, Romania, 06-09 May, 2019.
• Carmen ZAHARIA, Angela DANILA, Emil Ioan MURESAN, Augustin MURESAN, Study of quality and in-time stability of some emulsions based on vegetable essential oils used in manufacturing of products for skin and aromatherapy benefits, poster presented at symposium: “13th International Symposium on Cosmetic and Flavoring Products - "Cosmetology - Essence of Beauty and Health", organized by “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Iasi, Romania, 04-07 June 2019.
• Carmen ZAHARIA, Angela DANILA, Emil Ioan MURESAN, Daniela SUTEU, Emulsions of beeswax - levander oil: characteristics and preliminary analysis for use in manufacturing of value-added textiles in aromatherapy and skin care benefits, poster presented at International Conference:”11th International Conference of Applied Sciences "Chemistry and Chemical Engineering - CISA 2019", organized by the University of Bacau, Engineering Faculty, Bacau, Romania, 22-24 May, 2019.
• MURESAN Augustin, ZAHARIA Carmen, DANILA Angela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, MURESAN Rodica, Emulsions based on natural wax/gum – essential vegetal oil used for manufacturing of value-added textile materials for skin care benefits, poster presented at „The 23rd International Exhibition of Inventics INVENTICA, organized by Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Iasi, 26-28 June, 2019.
• ZAHARIA Carmen, DANILA Angela, MURESAN Emil Ioan, Oil/water emulsions for added-value textile materials and their “in-time” stability, poster at International Conference “Achievements and perspectives of modern chemistry”, October 09-11, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, 2019.
• Sinem Yaprak KARAVANA, Gökhan ERKAN, Gizem Ceylan TÜRKOĞLU, Ayse Merih SARIISIK, Burçin ESER, Ali TOPRAK, Alina POPESCU, Development of ready-made clothing products with rosemary oil to use in aromatherapy, oral presentation at International Conference: “Advanced Textiles for a Better World -TEXTEH XI”, Bucharest, 24-25 October, 2019.