Transpiration-Inspired Radiative Cooling Metafabric for Efficient Personal Thermal and Moisture Management.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Thermal Management

Background:

• Global warming necessitates advanced cooling solutions for human thermal comfort.
• Existing radiative cooling textiles have limitations in sweat evaporation and thermal conductivity.
• Hot outdoor climates pose challenges for passive cooling technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel transpiration-inspired metafabric with enhanced cooling efficiency.
• To integrate precise solar spectrum regulation, high heat conduction, and moisture-wicking capabilities.
• To address limitations of current cooling textiles in hot and humid conditions.

Main Methods:

• Multi-scale electrospun structural design to create a gradient micro-nano porous metafabric.
• Incorporation of solar spectrum regulation and enhanced mid-infrared absorption.
• Engineering of wettability and capillary force gradients for efficient moisture transport.

Main Results:

• Metafabric achieved 99.7% solar reflectivity and 93.3% infrared emissivity, yielding a 10.2°C cooling effect and 110.1 W/m² net cooling power.
• Demonstrated a high one-way transport index (1330.7%) and reverse breakthrough pressure (15.0 cm H₂O) for superior moisture management.
• Achieved a 20.2°C temperature drop in the sweaty state through coupled thermal radiation, conduction, and evaporation.

Conclusions:

• The developed metafabric offers a scalable and energy-efficient strategy for advanced thermal and moisture management textiles.
• The transpiration-inspired design overcomes limitations of conventional cooling fabrics.
• This technology holds promise for improving human thermal comfort in diverse environmental conditions.