NOTEREFIGA

Novel Temperature Regulating Fibres and Garments

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The objective of the project is to develop novel temperature regulating fibres and innovative textile products for thermal management, selected by the SME segment of the textile industry in Europe. The temperature regulating effect is achieved by novel methods of incorporating large amounts of phase changing materials (PCM) in textile fibres. When the body temperature increases, the PCM melts and absorbs the heat from the body in the form of latent heat. Then, when the temperature drops, the PCM crystallizes and the stored heat is released again. Clothes with built-in thermo-regulating properties provide maintained thermal comfort in difficult thermal environment and physical activity situations, without putting on or taking off clothes. Such smart clothing would reduce discomfort caused by accumulation of sweat/moisture in the clothing, and also shivering during varying activity levels and ambient conditions. The innovative concepts to be developed will outperform presently available materials for thermal management in garments. The concept is based on two main ideas. One idea is based on processing concepts that rely on compounding/mixing steps to provide suitable rheological properties of complex mixtures of polymers and PCMs followed by bi-component melt spinning to fibres with a core/sheath structure confining the PCM to the core. New bio-based (PLA) and conventional synthetic polymers for fibres (PP, PET, PA) are here addressed. The second idea is based on a new concept for incorporating PCMs in wet spun cellulose fibres based on direct addition of free PCM to a cellulose solution. A large and intense part of the project will be devoted to product related research, lead by the SMEs in the project. In particular, specific, value-added products are targeted within underwear, sports, leisure and home textiles. The work will aid in the transformation of the European textile and clothing industry from commodities into specific, value-added high-tech products.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Textiles that regulate body temperature may soon provide relief from fluctuations in skin temperature.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Although the human body normally regulates its own temperature, the thermal balance sometimes needs a helping hand, usually achieved by removing or putting on extra clothes. However, changing clothes is not always desirable or possible, as in an ongoing athletic event.

Scientists set out to develop smart textiles capable of absorbing or releasing heat as needed for effective thermal management with EU funding of the project 'Novel temperature regulating fibres and garments' (NOTEREFIGA). The focus was on an interesting class of materials, phase-change materials (PCMs), that absorb and release heat when changing phase as in melting and crystallisation, respectively. Widely used for heat pumps, solar engineering and spacecraft applications, NOTEREFIGA have incorporated them into textiles for consumer use.

In order to do so, two novel process technologies were employed. One focused on a technique called bi-component melt spinning, which produces fibres containing two components within the same filament (melt-spun fibres). In this case, scientists produced a core-sheath structure with the PCM in the core. The second technique employed direct addition of free PCMs to a cellulose fibre solution (wet-spun fibres).

Researchers demonstrated large-scale manufacture of both melt- and wet-spun cellulosic fibres. The fibres were knitted and woven to create fabrics that can be dyed and finished with established technologies requiring minor modifications. Further, the fabrics retained their thermal properties after repeated wash cycles with no leakage of PCMs to the environment, an observation confirmed by a life cycle assessment that showed no negative environmental impact.

Despite the excellent thermal properties, the psychophysical tests demonstrated that the sensation of thermal regulation was short-lived. Rather than increasing the weight of such garments with increasing quantities of PCMs, the consortium is currently investigating market opportunities in textiles of larger surface area such as blankets and bedding.

NOTEREFIGA has made an important contribution to the knowledge base that will be required to incorporate PCMs in consumer fabrics. Further, novel process technology for fibre production has led to other applications as varied as health care products and artificial grass.