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Feb 7, 2023

Scientists develop first fabric to automatically cool or insulate depending on conditions

Posted by in categories: innovation, materials

Despite decades of innovation in fabrics with high-tech thermal properties that keep marathon runners cool or alpine hikers warm, there has never been a material that changes its insulating properties in response to the environment. Until now.

University of Maryland researchers have created a that can automatically regulate the amount of heat that passes through it. When conditions are warm and moist, such as those near a sweating body, the fabric allows (heat) to pass through. When conditions become cooler and drier, the fabric reduces the heat that escapes. The development was reported in the February 8, 2019 issue of the journal Science.

The researchers created the fabric from specially engineered yarn coated with a conductive metal. Under hot, , the strands of yarn compact and activate the coating, which changes the way the fabric interacts with infrared . They refer to the action as “gating” of infrared radiation, which acts as a tunable blind to transmit or block heat.

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