Engineered emissivity of textile fabrics by the inclusion of ceramic particles

Composite textile materials, created from a blend of different fibers, have long been used to engineer the properties and performance of fabrics to combine comfort with functionality, such as to create materials with differing optical properties. Some changes to the optical properties of materials in the infrared are subtle and difficult to measure. We present a measurement technique, experimental apparatus, and associated data analysis procedure for detecting small changes in the emissivity of fabrics in the mid-infrared wavelength range (7.5-14 µm). Using this technique, we demonstrate that the emissivity of polyester fabric can be engineered controllably via the inclusion of ceramic microparticles within the fabric fibers.