Sometimes we can feel uncomfortable, whether we’re wearing a jacket and we’re too hot, or we’re too cold without it. That’s why the researchers created the fabric that changes its own temperature.
Sportswear partially solves this problem by using fabrics that adapt to temperature, but wouldn’t it be great if we could control the temperature of clothes? Researchers at the University of California, Irvine (USA) have now invented .
The new material allows air to circulate, can be easily cleaned and can be integrated into various flexible fabrics. It is designed to provide comfort in all weather conditions. Interestingly, this new clothing material is inspired by squid skin, which changes color depending on its environment.
How does temperature-changing fabric work?
“it is complex, consisting of several layers that work together to manipulate light and change the overall color and pattern of the animal,” explained Alon Gorodetsky, the author of the study.
“Some of the layers contain organelles called chromatophores, which expand or contract (under the action of muscles) to change the way the skin transmits and reflects visible light,” added Gorodetsky, .
This bio-inspired composite material works based on the infrared spectrum, the same mechanism used by thermal cameras. When the body’s temperature rises, it emits some of the heat in the form of invisible infrared radiation. The clothing is designed to regulate its temperature according to the wearer’s body heat.
Specifically, the material is equipped with “thermoregulatory features” that can be manipulated. These features allow the material to change its properties depending on the detected infrared radiation. By adjusting these properties, clothing can effectively control the wearer’s temperature.
The material is composed of a polymer base covered with small copper islands. When the material is stretched, these copper islands separate from each other. This change in the arrangement of the islands influences how the material interacts with infrared light and adjusts its thermal properties. The research team improved the material, making it washable, breathable and suitable for integration into fabrics. To achieve this, they added a thin layer to make it washable, perforated the material for breathability and attached it to a mesh for fabric integration.
What can the new material be used for?
The modified material allowed air and water vapor to pass through, similar to fabrics.
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to see how the material interacts with infrared light. Moreover, the scientists used a special tool to evaluate the “thermoregulatory properties”. The researchers found that the changes made did not compromise the heat-regulating capabilities of the material.
“Our advanced composite material now opens up opportunities for most wearable applications, but may be particularly suitable for cold weather clothing such as ski jackets, thermal socks, insulated gloves and winter hats,” said Gorodetsky.
“Strategies used to give materials breathability, ‘washability’ and fabric compatibility could be applied to other types of wearable systems, such as washable organic electronics, stretchable textiles and triboelectric materials for energy harvesting,” he added.
The findings were published in the journal
