Polyurethane Based Smart Composite Fabric for Personal Thermal Management in Multi-Mode

Xunzhang Li ¹, Guodong Liao ¹, Wangwang Cai ¹

⁰College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 South Puzhu Road, Pukou District, Nanjing, 211816, P. R. China.

Small (weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany) +

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July 11, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This study introduces a novel smart fabric that adapts to environmental conditions. The textile provides enhanced warmth in cold, dry weather and cooling in hot, humid conditions, outperforming cotton.

Area Of Science

Materials Science
Textile Engineering
Smart Materials

Background

Developing textiles with responsive thermal and moisture management is a significant challenge.
Existing smart fabrics often lack sensitivity to environmental changes.

Purpose Of The Study

To create a multimodal smart fabric with adaptive thermal and moisture-regulating properties.
To engineer a textile that responds dynamically to varying environmental conditions.

Main Methods

A smart fabric was constructed by combining silver-coated, thermal-humidity sensitive thermoplastic polyurethane (Ag-THSPU) with a polyvinylidene fluoride and polyurethane (PU-PVDF) hybrid layer.
The PU-PVDF layer was engineered for solar reflection, infrared emissivity, and water resistance.
The Ag-THSPU layer was designed to modulate thermal reflection, sweat evaporation, and convection.

Main Results

In cold, dry conditions, the fabric exhibited low water transmission (102.74 g m⁻²·24 h⁻¹), high thermal reflection, and was 2.4°C warmer than cotton.
In hot, humid conditions, the fabric's Ag-THSPU layer swelled, increasing surface area and promoting sweat evaporation (2084.88 g/m⁻²·24 h⁻¹), thermal radiation, and convection, resulting in a 2.5°C cooler experience than cotton.
The fabric demonstrated significant thermal and moisture management capabilities through environmental adaptation.

Conclusions

The developed multimodal smart fabric effectively manages thermal and moisture properties based on ambient conditions.
This innovative textile strategy offers a new pathway for creating adaptive fabrics for demanding applications.
The fabric's dual functionality provides enhanced comfort in both cold and hot environments.

Keywords:

dual adaptability functional polyurethane moisture management smart fabric thermal management