Heat waves can have profound negative impacts on human morbidity and mortality, both directly (e.g., heatstroke) and by exacerbating existing health conditions. The most obvious way to avoid these heat-related stresses--avoiding physical exertion and staying in an air-conditioned space--is not realistic for many whose occupations require exposure to hot weather. Rising energy and home improvement (e.g., to better insulate a dwelling or to repair/replace an HVAC unit) costs make escaping the heat even more difficult for lower-income people. A low-cost solution is needed to help people better adapt to hot weather without relying on energy-intensive cooling infrastructure. 

Researchers have developed a thermally adaptive smart textile (TAST) which enables passive outdoor radiative cooling by 6-10 degrees Celsius compared to normal fabrics, while maintaining good mechanical strength, breathability and washability. Succinctly, TAST is a fabric that can be used to make clothes that keep the wearer cooler while requiring NO energy inputs. TAST can not only detect changes in physiological signals in the human body but can adapt its thermoregulation function in response to changes in the ambient temperature and perspiration level. TAST does not require electrical wiring or external energy input. The researchers have also invented a scalable manufacturing platform for further exploration of multifunctional fibers such as TAST that can offer a new paradigm for the advancement of smart wearables.

Benefits 

• Passive cooling (no energy inputs required)
• Durable
• Made from low-cost materials
• Scalable manufacturing 

Applications 

• Fabric
• Clothing
• Personal cooling

Publication

Radiative Cooling Smart Textiles with Integrated Sensing for Adaptive Thermoregulation.Yoon Young Choi, Kai Zhou, Ho Kun Woo, Diya Patel, Md Salauddin, and Lili Cai. ACS Materials Letters 2024 6 (10), 4624-4631 DOI: 10.1021/acsmaterialslett.4c01624 [2]