Dimensionally Stable Nanofibrous Nonwoven as a Flexible Dynamic Emissivity Switching Temperature‐Regulating Material
Abstract
Abstract Smart textiles that passively regulate thermal comfort provide a sustainable alternative to energy‐intensive climate control. A promising strategy involves modulating radiative heat transfer by dynamically adjusting surface emissivity, thereby facilitating reversible switching between heat‐retentive and heat‐dissipative states. Existing systems enable emissivity switching but often need external energy or lack dimensional stability when deformed, which limits wearable applications. Here, a fully passive, autonomously adaptive dynamic emissivity switch textile (DEST) based on a thermo‐ and humidity‐responsive electrospun poly( N ‐isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) copolymer is introduced. To ensure robust functionality in humid or aqueous environments, a crosslinkable allyl‐functionalized PNIPAM copolymer is synthesized via post‐polymerization amidation of a P(NIPAM‐ co ‐methyl acrylate) copolymer and processed using a green water‐ethanol‐based electrospinning technique. Thiol‐ene crosslinking produced water‐stable, thermoresponsive nanofibers with a transition near skin temperature. For reversible macropore actuation, a dimensionally stable architecture is employed that avoids out‐of‐plane distortion, achieved through a honeycomb‐shaped electrospinning collector and a tailored mechanical cutting pattern. A silver coating imparts the overall infrared (IR) reflectivity, facilitating radiative heat retention when the macropores are closed. The resulting DEST exhibits dual responsiveness to temperature and ambient humidity, enabling passive switching between emissive and reflective states without external energy input, with a ≈6 °C reversible thermal comfort window.
Article Details
Authors (13)
Eva Loccufier
Centre for Textile Science and Engineering (CTSE) Department of Materials Textiles and Chemical Engineering Ghent University Technologiepark 70A Ghent 9052 Belgium
Muluneh G. Abebe
Jozefien Geltmeyer
Centre for Textile Science and Engineering (CTSE) Department of Materials Textiles and Chemical Engineering Ghent University Technologiepark 70A Ghent 9052 Belgium
Timo Meirman
Centre for Textile Science and Engineering (CTSE) Department of Materials Textiles and Chemical Engineering Ghent University Technologiepark 70A Ghent 9052 Belgium
Ozlem Ipek Kalaoglu‐Altan
Faculty of Textile Technologies and Design Department of Textile Engineering Istanbul Technical University Inonu Cad No: 65 Beyoglu Istanbul 34437 Türkiye
Joachim F. R. Van Guyse
Supramolecular Chemistry Group Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC) Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Ghent University Krijgslaan 281 S4 Ghent 9000 Belgium
Eric Khousakoun
Materia Nova Materials Science Unit 3 Avenue Nicolas Copernic Mons 7000 Belgium
Hayriye Gidik
Univ. Lille ENSAIT ULR 2461 – GEMTEX‐Génie et Matériaux Textiles Lille F‐59000 France
Elham Mohsenzadeh
Univ. Lille ENSAIT ULR 2461 – GEMTEX‐Génie et Matériaux Textiles Lille F‐59000 France
Driss Lahem
Materia Nova Materials Science Unit 3 Avenue Nicolas Copernic Mons 7000 Belgium
Richard Hoogenboom
Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan, 281-S4, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Bjorn Maes
Micro- and Nanophotonic Materials Group, Research Institute for Materials Science and Engineering 2 , UMONS, 20 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons,
Karen De Clerck
Centre for Textile Science and Engineering (CTSE) Department of Materials Textiles and Chemical Engineering Ghent University Technologiepark 70A Ghent 9052 Belgium