Advanced Plasma-Modified Textile Polymer Materials for Building Energy Retrofit Technologies

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Sustainable Construction

Background:

• Buildings contribute significantly to global energy consumption and carbon emissions.
• There is a critical need for innovative energy retrofit technologies to improve building performance.
• Textile polymer materials offer potential for advanced building envelope applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of plasma-modified textile polymers in enhancing building energy efficiency and durability.
• To evaluate various textile polymers and plasma surface engineering techniques for building retrofits.
• To assess the impact of plasma treatment on material properties and system performance.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP), PTFE, polyamide (PA), and composites.
• Analysis of plasma surface engineering approaches: atmospheric plasma, DBD, and plasma jet.
• Assessment of changes in surface morphology, chemistry, wettability, and reflective properties.

Main Results:

• Plasma treatment significantly alters textile polymer surfaces, increasing roughness and hydrophobicity (contact angles up to 145°).
• Improved reflective coating adhesion and solar reflectance (10-15% enhancement).
• Reduced building cooling energy demand (18-25%) and roof temperatures (10-15 °C) with treated roofing and shading textiles.
• Enhanced durability, UV resistance, and weather stability of plasma-modified membranes.

Conclusions:

• Plasma-modified textile polymers show significant potential for energy-efficient building retrofits.
• These materials offer multifunctional, lightweight, and sustainable solutions for building envelopes.
• Addressing industrial challenges like scalability and long-term performance is crucial for widespread adoption.