Ultrabreathable Open-Cell Hierarchical Pore Structure for Radiative Cooling Protective Membranes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Textile Science

Background:

• Personal protective clothing is crucial for biochemical threat environments.
• Current protective gear faces challenges in balancing protection, thermal comfort, and breathability.
• Developing advanced materials is key to improving safety and wearer well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel, skin-friendly ultrabreathable radiative cooling protective membrane (Ub-RCPM).
• To achieve high protection, moisture permeability, and passive radiative cooling simultaneously.
• To enhance thermal comfort and reduce heat stress for individuals in hazardous environments.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Ub-RCPM using a one-step evaporation-induced pore formation process.
• Characterization of the material's hierarchical pore structure, thermal properties, and filtration efficiency.
• Evaluation of passive radiative cooling performance and breathability through experimental testing.

Main Results:

• The Ub-RCPM exhibits a sunlight reflectivity of 94.79% and infrared emissivity of 94.53% for efficient passive cooling.
• Achieved a water vapor transmission rate of 8904.59 g m^-2 day^-1, significantly higher than commercial alternatives.
• Demonstrated a filtration efficiency of 99.1% for 75 nm aerosols and reduced temperature by 9.6-16.5 °C compared to conventional clothing.

Conclusions:

• The novel Ub-RCPM offers a groundbreaking solution for thermal comfortable and highly protective personal clothing.
• The developed material effectively combines radiative cooling, ultrahigh breathability, and robust filtration.
• This advancement paves the way for next-generation protective garments in demanding environments.