Do you ever find yourself feeling too warm when wearing a jacket, yet too chilly without it? Athletic wear brands offer temperature-regulating fabrics designed for various climates along with lightweight yet cozy options. Now imagine a fabric that you can personally modify to meet your unique temperature needs.
Motivated by the remarkable color-shifting abilities of squid skin, researchers at the University of California, Irvine have come up with a technique for creating a material that adjusts to temperature, while also being breathable and machine-washable, allowing it to be incorporated into flexible fabrics. Their groundbreaking research on these advanced bioinspired composites has been published in APL Bioengineering by AIP Publishing.
“Squid skin is intricate, made up of multiple layers that collaborate to control light and modify the animal’s coloration and patterns,” explained author Alon Gorodetsky. “Some layers contain organs known as chromatophores, which expand and contract (through muscle movement) to alter how light interacts with the skin.”
Rather than focusing on visible light, the research team developed a composite material that functions in the infrared spectrum. When we become warmer, our bodies generate infrared radiation, which is how thermal imaging works. Garments that can manipulate and respond to this heat emission and possess temperature-regulating features can tailor themselves to the wearer’s comfort. The material comprises a polymer that is coated with copper islands; stretching this material moves the islands apart, altering how it transmits and reflects infrared light. This advancement allows for better thermal control of clothing.
Building on their previous study published in APL Bioengineering, where they modeled the adaptive infrared characteristics of their composite material, the team enhanced its functionality by ensuring it was washable, breathable, and could integrate seamlessly into fabric.
To facilitate washing without damage, the researchers applied a thin film to the composite—a necessary feature for any fabric. To ensure the material remained breathable, they created a perforated design, producing a series of small holes. The outcome was a product that allowed air and moisture to pass through, similar to cotton materials. The team also laminated the material to a mesh to illustrate easy integration into fabrics.
The researchers employed Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to evaluate the adaptive infrared capabilities of the material and utilized a sweating guarded hot plate for testing its dynamic thermoregulation performance. Remarkably, the material maintained its heat-management efficiency even after the addition of the thin film, perforations, and fabric integration.
“Our advanced composite material now presents numerous possibilities for wearable technology, particularly for cold weather gear such as ski jackets, thermal socks, insulated gloves, and winter hats,” stated Gorodetsky.
Aside from the various applications for this fabric, the techniques used to create it also show significant promise.
“The methods we’ve developed to achieve breathability, washability, and fabric compatibility could be adapted for multiple types of wearable systems, including washable organic electronics, flexible e-textiles, and energy-harvesting triboelectric materials,” Gorodetsky added.
