Knit Architecture for Water-Actuating Woolen Knitwear and Its Personalized Thermal Management

Abstract

Personalized thermal management using water-actuated woolen knitwear has great potential for smart textile production. However, woolen knitwear exists in a wide range of forms with different derivatives. Manufacturing of smart woolen structures with excellent cooling properties is linked to certain parameters such as changes in loop formation, loop shape, and yarn arrangement upon stimulation of body fluids. To address this issue, textile knit structures with different physical and mechanical properties have been prepared using water-responsive descaled wool fibers and their smart heat and moisture regulation behavior have been investigated and compared to detect the fabric architectural effect on water actuation and cooling performance of woolen garments. The evidence suggests that the technical structure of the fabrics plays a crucial role in pore actuation and fabric cooling performance. The water actuation and thermal management abilities of single jersey were greatly enhanced because of unbalanced structures with lower mechanical stress among the loops and yarns. The experimental data is also in line with the theoretical analysis. Hence, the unbalanced structures control fast heat and mass transfer from the human body, which may offer a promising year-round clothing material to the wearer. This material can have a similar response upon contact with body sweat and humid environments and hence can act as a skinlike fabric. Their possible applications can lie in different fields, such as thermoregulation, functional clothing, sportswear, and medical care.

A review on emerging developments in thermal and moisture management by membrane‐based clothing systems towards personal comfort

“…As stated by Morton and Hearle, 182 proved that when a person with a 1.5 kg suit moves from the environment with 18°C, 45% relative humidity to the environment with 5°C, 95% r.h., regain of wool increase from 10% to 27%. This change results in the production of 6000 kJ heat, which equals to the individual metabolism production within 12 h. Hu et al 159,183 proved that in addition to the warming during less sweating, the body‐worn by woolen knitwear could be cooled during sweating. This dual functionality of woolen knitwear stems from the opening/closing of the knit pores as a consequence of water stimulation.…”

Hierarchically Structured and Scalable Artificial Muscles for Smart Textiles

“…We have shown fascinating water-responsive switching of knit pores in knitwear with body sweat acting as a stimulator for thermoregulation in previous studies. 54,55 Fabric muscles open new horizons for such thermoregulating garments and smart textiles (see Figure 5). Figure 5a shows sequence pictures of the sleeve of a garment in a dry skin state and a sweat-induced roll-up state, respectively.…”

Memory behaviour of polyester knitted fabric integrated with temperature-responsive shape memory polymer filament

“…[1][2][3][4] These fabrics are integrated with multifunctional fibres within conventional fabric architectures like knits, braids, nonwoven and woven. [5][6][7][8][9][10] Knitted functional fabrics are novel architecture capable of utilizing the unique properties of multifunctional materials. 11 Knitted fabrics can be produced relatively easily and quickly at a lower cost as compared to woven fabric.…”