Phys.org December 15, 20212
Researchers at Duke University have developed and demonstrated a multimodal adaptive wearable with moisture-responsive flaps composed of a nylon/metal heterostructure, which can simultaneously regulate convection, sweat evaporation, and mid-infrared emission to accomplish large and rapid heat transfer tuning in response to human perspiration vapor. They showed that the metal layer not only plays a crucial role in low-emissivity radiative heating but also enhances the bimorph actuation performance. The multimodal adaptive mechanism expands the thermal comfort zone by 30.7 and 20.7% more than traditional static textiles and single-modal adaptive wearables without any electricity and energy input, making it a promising design paradigm for personal heat management. Using physics rather than electronics to open the vents, the material has potential as a patch on various types of clothing to help keep the wearer comfortable in a wide range of situations…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Concept and mechanism of nylon-Ag heterostructure moisture-responsive wearable… Credit: SCIENCE ADVANCES, 15 Dec 2021 Vol 7, Issue 51