Sydney, Jan 19 (IANS) Crustaceans like shrimps and crabs may help create odour-repellent fabrics for use in cars, buses and trucks.

Researchers led by Rajiv Padhye, project head at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), are studying how specialised fabrics could provide smart solutions for vehicle interiors, resisting odours and staying cleaner for longer.

For the anti-odour research, various fragrance oils were applied to 100 percent polyester woven automotive fabric - the predominant fabric used in the industry - in combination with chitosan.

Chitosan -- a natural biopolymer sourced from the structural element in the outer skeleton of crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps -- was selected because of its filmforming ability and antimicrobial attributes.

The study found combining chitosan with the fragrance oil produced a durable fragrance finish in the fabric and gave it excellent antimicrobial properties.

'We would also like to undertake research on reducing the consumption of fuel by running car air conditioners for shorter periods of time using phase change materials (PCM) in car designs,' Padhye said.

'These materials will help to have a big impact on environmental issues,' he said.