A dynamic passive thermoregulation fabric using metallic microparticles

Abstract

Maintaining comfort using photonic thermal management textiles has a large potential to decrease the energy cost for heating and cooling in residential and office buildings. We propose a thermoregulating fabric using metallic microparticles, which provides a dynamic and passive control of the infrared transmission, by adapting to the ambient temperature and humidity. The fabric is composed of tailored metal microparticles and a stimuli-responsive polymer actuator matrix, in order to benefit from strong scattering effects to control the wideband transmission of thermal radiation and to provide a sharp, dynamic response. The detailed numerical design demonstrates a wide dynamic ambient setpoint temperature window of ∼8 °C, with the wearer staying comfortable in the range between 18 and 26 °C. Its compatibility for large-scale manufacturing, with a safe and strong thermoregulating performance indicates a vital energy-saving potential and paves the way to a more sustainable society.