Polymer-Based Microstructured Photonic Membrane for Passive Heating Textiles

The development of textiles for personal thermal management is one of the most promising technological solutions to reduce the energy consumption in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These technologies offer a potentially low-cost solution that can help to limit greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, we propose the design and fabrication of a polyimide (PI)-based microstructured photonic membrane (MSPM) for personal passive heating textile. Using a photolithographic process, the membrane is drilled with a triangular array of holes. We showed theoretically and experimentally that the MSPM can decrease the transmission of mid-infrared (MIR) radiation emitted by the human body. The thermoregulator effect of the MSPM is demonstrated by using a thermal camera and a thermocouple. This fabric can efficiently warm the human body, enabling lower room temperature while still maintaining personal comfort. Moreover, the microholes enable air permeability and promote water-wicking. The performance of this membrane provides a new opportunity to deploy thermal management textiles for everyday use and targets one of the major forms of energy consumption.