Highly Flexible, Efficient, and Sandwich-Structured Infrared Radiation Heating Fabric

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Controlling thermal energy is crucial for human civilization, but current devices are bulky and rigid.
• Developing lightweight, flexible, and efficient electrical heaters for personal thermal management remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a high-performance composite infrared radiation heating fabric (IRHF).
• To enable lightweight, flexible, and efficient electrical heating for personal thermal management and climate control.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a composite IRHF using poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics and carbon nanofibers with inorganic nanoparticles.
• Integration of a copper electrode sheet to form a conductive heating circuit.
• Utilizing permanent spontaneous polarization of carbon nanofibers and nanoparticles to enhance current and heat preservation.

Main Results:

• The IRHF achieved a temperature increase to 43 °C in 1 minute from room temperature at 30 V.
• Demonstrated a high electrothermal conversion efficiency of up to 78.99%.
• Exhibited good thermal stability, flexibility, breathability, and electrical conductivity.

Conclusions:

• The developed sandwich-structured IRHF offers a promising solution for smart heating textiles.
• This innovation opens new opportunities for wearable heating clothes in various applications.
• The material's properties address the limitations of current thermal comfort devices.