Thermally comfortable fabric and method of making the same

Abstract

The application provides a kind of thermal comfort fabric and its preparation method, thermal comfort fabric includes high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer, transition layer and hydrophilic evaporation layer arranged in turn from inside to outside;Transition layer is a number of profiled fibers arranged along the warp, the weft of high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the weft of hydrophilic evaporation layer are fixed by the profiled fiber of transition layer;The weft of high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer is hydrophobic heat-conducting fiber that boron nitride, polyurethane and rush are compounded;The weft of hydrophilic evaporation layer is hydrophilic rush fiber that boron nitride is coated on the surface;Hydrophilic evaporation layer and high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer are woven using linking multilayer structure.The application uses natural fiber rush to build different layers of wetting gradient, simultaneously, rush is compounded with boron nitride, polyurethane and the like, passageway is formed in high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and hydrophilic evaporation layer, through the synergistic effect of heat conduction and moisture conduction, while achieving rapid water export, comfortable environment between textile and skin can be maintained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of functional fabric technology, and in particular to a thermal comfort fabric and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] As living standards improve, people have increasingly higher demands for the functionality and thermal and moisture comfort of textiles. When engaging in outdoor activities, people easily become soaked in sweat. The discomfort caused by the large amount of sweat that is difficult to evaporate quickly has long been a problem. To address this issue, one-way moisture-wicking fabrics have been developed. However, in hot environments, the human body produces a large amount of sweat. When the one-way moisture-wicking fabric reaches its absorption limit, it can no longer provide comfort. To avoid this situation where one-way moisture-wicking fabrics reach saturation and cease to provide comfort, it is necessary to develop dual-cooling fabrics that combine heat conduction and evaporative cooling. This accelerates heat transfer and moisture evaporation, achieving a comfortable body temperature while reducing sweat production.

[0003] Textiles typically achieve unidirectional moisture wicking by creating a wetting gradient between the inner and outer layers. This unidirectional moisture-wicking fabric transfers sweat from the skin to the fabric surface, where the moisture evaporates and carries away body heat, playing a crucial role in maintaining thermal and humid comfort. Patent application CN202110965269.3 discloses a moisture-wicking, heat-dissipating, and cooling fabric and its preparation method. It uses a single-layer fabric with a three-layer structure: a hydrophilic fabric layer, a high thermal conductivity layer, and a hydrophobic layer. The hydrophilic fabric layer is a polydopamine-modified fabric, the high thermal conductivity layer is a high thermal conductivity, cooling microcapsule coating, and the hydrophobic layer is a single-sided hydrophobic coating. Although this cooling fabric is a single layer, the presence of the high thermal conductivity layer and the hydrophobic layer can clog the fabric's pores, affecting its breathability and other properties. Furthermore, the high thermal conductivity layer is located on the outside of the hydrophilic fabric layer and does not directly contact the skin, thus failing to effectively dissipate body heat.

[0004] Improving the thermal conductivity of textiles is considered the most direct and effective method of passive heat dissipation. This is generally achieved by adding thermally conductive fillers or constructing ordered thermal pathways to increase the thermal conductivity. Hexagonal boron nitride, a two-dimensional layered material with extremely high thermal conductivity, is well-suited as a thermally conductive filler. Through a synergistic mechanism of heat conduction and evaporative cooling, maximum heat dissipation can be achieved while maintaining a comfortable environment between the textile and the skin.

[0005] Juncus effusus is a natural cellulose fiber with a unique three-dimensional network structure and interconnected channels. It can be used to construct three-dimensional network thermal conductivity pathways for thermally conductive fibers, as well as for moisture absorption and evaporation. However, juncus effusus itself has poor mechanical properties and is prone to brittleness. Polyurethane is a polymer material with excellent mechanical properties, and can be used as a matrix material to improve the mechanical properties of composite materials. Therefore, combining boron nitride, juncus effusus, and polyurethane, utilizing the advantages of all three, is an effective method for preparing high thermal conductivity fabrics.

[0006] In view of this, it is necessary to design an improved thermal comfort fabric and its preparation method to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a thermally comfortable fabric and its preparation method. This thermally comfortable fabric utilizes natural fiber rush to construct a wetting gradient in different layers. At the same time, rush is combined with boron nitride, polyurethane, etc., to form a thermally conductive passage in both the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer. The high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer are fixed by irregularly shaped fibers. Through the synergistic effect of thermal and moisture conduction, moisture can be quickly discharged while maintaining a comfortable environment between the textile and the skin.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a thermal comfort fabric, comprising a high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer, a transition layer, and a hydrophilic evaporation layer arranged sequentially from the inside out; the transition layer consists of several irregularly shaped fibers arranged along the warp direction, and the weft yarns of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the weft yarns of the hydrophilic evaporation layer are fixed by the irregularly shaped fibers of the transition layer; the weft yarns of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer are hydrophobic and thermally conductive fibers composed of boron nitride, polyurethane, and rush pith; the weft yarns of the hydrophilic evaporation layer are hydrophilic rush pith fibers with boron nitride coated on the surface.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the hydrophilic rush fiber is obtained by soaking rush in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a certain preset time, drying, and then modifying the surface to be hydrophilic.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber is obtained by first immersing the surface of the rush fiber coated with boron nitride in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution, then taking it out and treating it in a coagulation bath for a certain preset time, drying it, loading it with boron nitride, and then hot pressing and etching the surface; the surface-coated rush fiber is obtained by immersing rush in a boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution for a certain preset time and then drying it.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the heteromorphic fiber includes one of polygonal, flat ribbon, and hollow fiber; the chemical composition of the heteromorphic fiber includes one of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyamide.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the thermal comfort fabric is a weft-faced multi-layered fabric prepared by machine weaving; the weave structure of the weft-faced multi-layered fabric includes one of the following: weft-faced multiple plain weave variation weave, weft-faced twill weave variation weave, weft-faced satin weave, and openwork combined weave.

[0013] The present invention also provides a method for preparing the above-described thermal comfort fabric, comprising the following steps:

[0014] S1. Immerse rush in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a certain preset time, dry, and perform surface hydrophilic modification to obtain the hydrophilic rush fiber;

[0015] S2. First, soak the rush pith in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a certain preset time, and then dry it to obtain rush pith fibers with boron nitride coating on the surface; then soak the rush pith fibers with boron nitride coating on the surface in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixture for a certain preset time, take them out and then treat them in a coagulation bath for a certain preset time, dry them and then load them with boron nitride, and then hot press them and etch the surface to obtain the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber;

[0016] S3. The hydrophilic rush fiber, the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber, and the shaped fiber are woven into a multi-layered weft fabric according to a preset weaving method to obtain the thermal comfort fabric; in the thermal comfort fabric, the shaped fiber is arranged along the warp in the middle layer, the hydrophilic rush fiber and the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber are arranged along the weft on both sides of the middle layer, and the hydrophilic rush fiber and the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber are fixed by the shaped fiber.

[0017] As a further improvement of the present invention, step S1 specifically involves: adding a predetermined amount of boron nitride to acetone and ultrasonically treating it for 10-30 minutes, then adding a predetermined amount of adhesive and mixing to obtain the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution; immersing rush pith in the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution and ultrasonically treating it for 10-30 minutes, then washing, drying, and plasma etching to obtain the hydrophilic rush pith fiber.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention, step S2 specifically involves: adding a predetermined amount of boron nitride to acetone and ultrasonically treating it for 10-30 minutes, then adding a predetermined amount of adhesive and mixing to obtain the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution; immersing rush pith in the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution and ultrasonically treating it for 10-30 minutes, washing and drying to obtain rush pith fibers with boron nitride coated on the surface.

[0019] Boron nitride was dispersed in a binary mixed solvent of N,N-dimethylacetamide and toluene, and then polyurethane was added and mixed to obtain the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution.

[0020] The surface of the rush fiber coated with boron nitride is immersed in the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution for a certain preset time. After being taken out, it is placed in a coagulation bath for a certain preset time and dried. Then, it is immersed in a boron nitride solution containing silane coupling agent and acetic acid to load boron nitride. After washing, drying, hot pressing, and plasma etching, the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber is obtained.

[0021] As a further improvement of the present invention, in the boron nitride / binder mixed solution, the concentration of the binder is 2-5 mg / mL and the concentration of boron nitride is 5-10 mg / mL; the plasma etching time is 3-10 min.

[0022] As a further improvement of the present invention, in the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution, the mass fraction of boron nitride is 3%-6%, and the mass fraction of total solids content is 10%-20%; in the boron nitride solution containing silane coupling agent and acetic acid, the concentration of boron nitride is 5-10 mg / mL; the hot pressing treatment is performed at 80-100℃ and 5 MPa for 1-3 min; and the plasma etching duration is 3-10 min.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0024] (1) The thermal comfort fabric provided by the present invention includes a high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer, a transition layer and a hydrophilic evaporation layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside. The transition layer consists of several irregularly shaped fibers arranged along the warp direction. The weft yarns of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the weft yarns of the hydrophilic evaporation layer are fixed by the irregularly shaped fibers of the transition layer. The weft yarns of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer are hydrophobic and thermally conductive fibers composed of boron nitride, polyurethane and rush pith. The weft yarns of the hydrophilic evaporation layer are hydrophilic rush pith fibers coated with boron nitride. During use, the skin comes into direct contact with the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer. First, utilizing the wetting gradient difference between the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer, the capillary effect of the shaped fibers, and the three-dimensional network structure of the rush, the sweat released by the human body is quickly transferred to the hydrophilic evaporation layer, and the sweat is continuously evaporated, thus lowering the temperature of the thermal comfort fabric and providing comfort to the human body. Second, the high thermal conductivity of the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer can accelerate the transfer of excess heat from the human body and the evaporation of sweat, quickly absorbing the body's heat and transferring it to the hydrophilic evaporation layer. This not only lowers the skin temperature and reduces sweat release at the source, but the heat transferred to the hydrophilic evaporation layer can also accelerate the evaporation of sweat in the hydrophilic evaporation layer, further cooling the body, and transferring the low temperature to the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer, further providing a comfortable environment for the human body. Through the synergistic effect of thermal and moisture conduction, while quickly removing moisture, a comfortable environment between the textile and the skin can be maintained.

[0025] This invention utilizes the natural fiber rush to construct a wetting gradient in a composite fabric, giving the fabric excellent one-way moisture wicking properties. The hydrophobic and thermally conductive fibers can quickly remove excess heat from the body, accelerating the evaporation of surface sweat and achieving maximum heat dissipation, fundamentally reducing the production of human sweat. This dual-cooling fabric, designed based on the three-dimensional network structure of rush, avoids excessive sweat loss through a synergistic mechanism of heat conduction and evaporative cooling, while maintaining a comfortable environment between the textile and the skin.

[0026] (2) The method for preparing thermally comfortable fabric provided by the present invention uses an adhesive to coat boron nitride on the surface of rush fiber to increase the thermal conductivity of rush, so that the heat of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer is quickly transferred to the hydrophilic evaporation layer. Then, hydrophilic modification treatment is performed to obtain hydrophilic rush fiber, which accelerates the conduction and evaporation of water.

[0027] Next, the rush pith was soaked in a boron nitride / polyurethane solution. During the fiber forming process, a non-solvent-induced phase inversion method under a binary mixed solvent was used to achieve the shrinkage of the rush pith's network structure and the entanglement of polyurethane molecules with the rush pith. This tightly encapsulated boron nitride within the rush pith, forming a dense thermally conductive pathway, while simultaneously improving the mechanical properties of the rush pith. Then, boron nitride was adsorbed onto the surface of the rush pith, further enriching the thermally conductive pathways both inside and on the surface. Finally, hot pressing and surface etching were used to improve the hydrophilicity of the composite thermally conductive fiber, further accelerating the transport and diffusion of sweat.

[0028] Next, hydrophilic rush fiber, hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber, and profiled fiber are composited using a specific weaving method to obtain a high-performance thermal comfort fabric. Furthermore, this thermal comfort fabric has strong versatility; for example, the fibers of the hydrophilic evaporation layer can be replaced with hemp yarn that has UV protection and moisture absorption, thus expanding the functions of the composite fabric. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is an electron microscope image of the cross-section of a hydrophobic and thermally conductive fiber, with a scale bar of 100 μm.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a fabric structure diagram of one form of the thermal comfort fabric of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the thermal comfort fabric of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0033] It should also be noted that, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention with unnecessary details, only the structures and / or processing steps closely related to the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details that are not closely related to the present invention are omitted.

[0034] Additionally, it should be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0035] This invention provides a thermally comfortable fabric comprising, from the inside out, a highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer, a transition layer, and a hydrophilic evaporation layer, with the inner layer being the side closest to the skin. The transition layer consists of several irregularly shaped fibers arranged along the warp direction. The weft yarns of the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer and the weft yarns of the hydrophilic evaporation layer are fixed together by the irregularly shaped fibers of the transition layer, meaning that the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer share the same warp yarns. The weft yarns of the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer are hydrophobic and thermally conductive fibers composed of boron nitride, polyurethane, and rush pith; the weft yarns of the hydrophilic evaporation layer are hydrophilic rush pith fibers coated with boron nitride. With the skin in direct contact with the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer, this design achieves several benefits. First, by utilizing the wetting gradient difference between the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer, as well as the capillary effect of the shaped fibers, sweat released by the body is quickly transferred to the hydrophilic evaporation layer, keeping the hydrophobic layer dry and continuously evaporating the sweat. This lowers the temperature of the thermally comfortable fabric, providing comfort for the body. Second, the high thermal conductivity of the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer allows it to quickly absorb heat from the body and transfer it to the hydrophilic evaporation layer. This not only lowers the skin temperature, reducing sweat release at its source, but also accelerates the evaporation of sweat within the hydrophilic evaporation layer, further cooling it. The low temperature is then transferred to the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer, further providing a comfortable environment for the body. Through the synergistic effect of thermal and moisture conduction, moisture is quickly removed while maintaining a comfortable environment between the textile and the skin.

[0036] Specifically, hydrophilic rush fiber is obtained by immersing rush in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a predetermined time, drying, and then performing surface hydrophilic modification. Hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber is obtained by first immersing rush fiber coated with boron nitride in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixture, then treating it in a coagulation bath for a predetermined time, drying it, loading it with boron nitride, and then hot-pressing and etching the surface. The rush fiber coated with boron nitride is obtained by immersing rush in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a predetermined time and then drying it (i.e., the rush fiber coated with boron nitride is the hydrophilic rush fiber that has not undergone surface hydrophilic modification).

[0037] In some embodiments, the weft yarn of the hydrophilic evaporation layer includes one or more fibers with good moisture absorption, such as mercerized cotton, linen yarn, and bamboo fiber.

[0038] The cross-sectional shape of the shaped fibers includes one of the following: polygonal, flat ribbon, or hollow fiber. Polygonal shapes include triangular, pentagonal, pentalobular, hexagonal, and branched shapes. The chemical composition of the shaped fibers includes one of the following: polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, or polyamide. Due to the special shape of the shaped fibers, the yarn (warp) formed by bonding different shaped fibers has abundant, fine pores. By fixing the weft yarns of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer with shaped fibers, moisture is rapidly transferred from the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer to the hydrophilic evaporation layer through the capillary effect of the shaped fibers, achieving rapid moisture wicking.

[0039] This thermal comfort fabric is a multi-layered weft-faced fabric produced by machine weaving. The weave structure of this multi-layered weft-faced fabric includes one of the following: multiple plain weave variations, twill weave variations, satin weave, and a combination of openwork weaves. This thermal comfort fabric can be used for heat dissipation and can be applied to insoles, watch straps, backpack straps, and sportswear, etc.

[0040] The present invention also provides a method for preparing the above-mentioned thermal comfort fabric, comprising the following steps:

[0041] S1. Preparation of hydrophilic rush fiber:

[0042] The hydrophilic rush fiber is obtained by soaking rush pith in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a predetermined time, followed by drying and surface hydrophilic modification. Specifically:

[0043] First, the rush pith is washed sequentially with ethanol and deionized water, and then dried to obtain clean rush pith. Next, a predetermined amount of boron nitride (BN) is placed in acetone and sonicated for 10-30 minutes. Then, a predetermined amount of binder is added, and the mixture is further stirred to obtain a boron nitride / binder mixed solution. In the boron nitride / binder mixed solution, the concentration of the binder is 2-5 mg / mL, and the concentration of boron nitride is 5-10 mg / mL. The binder is a cyanoacrylate binder, including one or more of ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate, butyl 2-cyanoacrylate, and octyl 2-cyanoacrylate.

[0044] Then, the cleaned rush pith is immersed in the prepared boron nitride / adhesive mixture solution, ultrasonically treated for 10-30 minutes, washed with deionized water, and dried at 50-70℃ for 100-140 minutes to obtain rush pith fibers with boron nitride coating on the surface.

[0045] Finally, the boron nitride-coated rush fibers were subjected to atmospheric pressure plasma etching for 3-10 minutes to obtain hydrophilic rush fibers with boron nitride coating.

[0046] In this process, boron nitride is first uniformly dispersed in acetone, followed by the addition of a binder. The binder is then uniformly dispersed on the surface of the boron nitride particles, enriching the active groups on the boron nitride surface. Next, rush pith is immersed in the boron nitride / binder mixture. The nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the binder bond with the active hydroxyl groups on the surface of the rush pith, uniformly adsorbing the boron nitride onto the surface of the three-dimensional network structure of the rush pith. Finally, plasma etching is performed to introduce active groups such as hydroxyl groups onto the surface, improving hydrophilicity. The presence of boron nitride on the surface of the rush pith increases its thermal conductivity, allowing heat from the highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer to be rapidly transferred to the hydrophilic evaporation layer, further accelerating the evaporation of water in the hydrophilic evaporation layer and rapidly cooling the surface. Simultaneously, the evaporation of water dissipates a large amount of excess heat, thus achieving the purpose of rapid cooling of the skin surface.

[0047] S2. Preparation of hydrophobic thermally conductive fibers:

[0048] Boron nitride-coated rush fibers are immersed in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution for a predetermined time, then removed and treated in a coagulation bath for a predetermined time. After drying, boron nitride is loaded onto the fibers, followed by hot pressing and surface etching to obtain hydrophobic and thermally conductive fibers. Specifically:

[0049] Boron nitride particles were uniformly dispersed in a binary mixed solvent. Under continuous stirring, a predetermined mass of polyurethane (PU) particles was slowly added until the particles were completely dissolved. Stirring continued for 60-120 minutes, followed by vacuum degassing to obtain a homogeneous boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution. The stirring rate was 300-450 r / min. The binary mixed solvent was obtained by mixing N,N-dimethylacetamide and toluene in a 1:1 mass ratio. In the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution, the mass fraction of boron nitride was 3%-6%, and the mass fraction of the total solids content was 10%-20%. The use of a binary mixed solvent in this process allows the three-dimensional thermal conduction pathway to contract, further increasing the heat flux density of the fiber, while also forming a dense structure and reducing the porosity within the fiber.

[0050] The boron nitride-coated rush fiber (i.e. rush fiber that has not undergone plasma etching) obtained in step S1 is immersed in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution for vacuum degassing for 5-20 minutes. After being removed, it is placed in a water coagulation bath for 0.5-1.5 hours and then dried at 70-90°C for 0.5-1.5 hours to obtain a composite thermally conductive fiber with a three-dimensional network structure. In this process, the rush is first soaked in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution, allowing the solution to penetrate the pores of the rush's three-dimensional network structure. The long molecular chains of polyurethane intertwine with the rush's network structure, improving the rush's elasticity and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the network structure formed by the polyurethane and rush better binds the boron nitride to its surface and internal pores. Next, in a coagulation bath, N,N-dimethylacetamide in the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution continuously exchanges with the water in the coagulation bath. Subsequently, a drying process removes water and a small amount of solvent. This process causes the rush's network structure to shrink, allowing for better thermal conductivity pathways between different boron nitride particles. Simultaneously, the intertwining structure of the polyurethane molecules and rush further changes, making the rush's network structure more orderly and dense, and providing a stronger encapsulation of the boron nitride, resulting in a structurally stable composite thermally conductive fiber.

[0051] A predetermined amount of silane coupling agent and acetic acid are added dropwise to a boron nitride solution, and the mixture is stirred for 20-40 minutes. Then, the composite thermally conductive fiber is immersed in this solution and reacted for 3-5 hours to obtain the modified composite thermally conductive fiber. The silane coupling agent is one or more of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-methacryloyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, and γ-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane. In the boron nitride solution, the concentration of boron nitride is 5-10 mg / mL, the amount of silane coupling agent is 5-10 g, and the amount of acetic acid is 10-15 drops. During this process, the presence of acetic acid provides favorable conditions for the hydrolysis of the silane coupling agent, accelerating its hydrolysis. Simultaneously, the silane coupling agent further improves the interfacial compatibility between boron nitride and polyurethane, resulting in a composite thermally conductive fiber with boron nitride adhering to both the surface and interior, further enhancing the thermal conductivity of the composite fiber.

[0052] Next, the modified composite thermally conductive fibers were cleaned with deionized water and then hot-pressed at 80-100℃ and 5MPa for 1-3 minutes, followed by atmospheric pressure plasma etching for 3-10 minutes to obtain hydrophobic thermally conductive fibers. (By controlling the plasma etching time, the hydrophilicity of the modified composite thermally conductive fiber surface was improved, but it remained hydrophobic.) During this process, the hot-pressing treatment further reduced the porosity inside the fibers and formed a dense structure, increasing the fiber's thermal conductivity. Then, plasma etching reduced the hydrophobicity of the composite thermally conductive fibers, further accelerating the transport and diffusion of sweat, preventing excessive hydrophobicity that would hinder the absorption of sweat from the human body surface. (Due to the differences in fiber structure and density between the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer, the hydrophobicity of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic evaporation layer can be achieved by controlling the plasma etching time.)

[0053] S3. Weaving

[0054] The prepared hydrophilic rush fiber, hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber, and profiled fiber are woven into a multi-layered weft fabric according to a preset weaving method to obtain a thermally comfortable fabric. In the thermally comfortable fabric, the profiled fiber is arranged along the warp in the middle layer, and the hydrophilic rush fiber and hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber are arranged along the weft on both sides of the middle layer, and the hydrophilic rush fiber and hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber are fixed by the profiled fiber.

[0055] The thermal comfort fabric is a weft-faced multi-layered fabric prepared by machine weaving; the weave structure of the weft-faced multi-layered fabric includes one of the following: weft-faced multiple plain weave variation weave, weft-faced twill weave variation weave, weft-faced satin weave, and openwork combined weave.

[0056] In the specific weaving process, the thermal comfort fabric adopts one of the following structures: woven double-layer structure, woven triple-layer structure, etc. A hydrophilic evaporation layer and a highly thermally conductive hydrophobic layer are embedded in the outer and inner layers, respectively, so that the fabric can conduct heat efficiently and quickly evaporate excess moisture on the human body surface and dissipate excess heat. Then, the weaving process is designed according to the structural design requirements, the fabric structure diagram is drawn, and the yarn is threaded and the weaving machine is started according to the weaving process requirements.

[0057] In some embodiments, the fabric structure is a plain weave fabric, and the specific weaving process is as follows: according to a preset fabric structure diagram (such as... Figure 2 As shown), the warp-reed threading, warp-weft beating, and other processes are performed sequentially on a small-scale weaving machine using the forward threading method. The fasteners used are metric 70 reed / 10cm, resulting in a warp-weft tightness ratio of 2:3. (See diagram). Figure 2As shown, the weaving process uses 8 yarns per cycle. All warp yarns are woven with profiled fibers to form a transition layer. Yarns 2, 3, 6, and 7 incorporate hydrophilic rush fibers to form an outer hydrophilic evaporation layer. Yarns 1, 4, 5, and 8 incorporate hydrophobic and thermally conductive fibers to form an inner high thermal conductivity and hydrophobic layer. The final result is as shown... Figure 3 The structure shown.

[0058] The present invention will now be described in detail through specific embodiments.

[0059] Example 1

[0060] A method for preparing a thermal comfort fabric includes the following steps:

[0061] S1. Preparation of hydrophilic rush fiber:

[0062] First, the rush pith was washed sequentially with ethanol and deionized water, and then dried to obtain clean rush pith. Next, a predetermined amount of boron nitride (BN) was placed in acetone and sonicated for 20 minutes. Then, a predetermined amount of ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate binder was added, and the mixture was further stirred to obtain a boron nitride / binder mixed solution. In the boron nitride / binder mixed solution, the concentration of the binder was 2 mg / mL, and the concentration of boron nitride was 5 mg / mL.

[0063] Then, the cleaned rush pith was immersed in the prepared boron nitride / adhesive mixture solution, ultrasonically treated for 20 minutes, washed with deionized water, and placed in a blower dryer to dry at 60°C for 120 minutes to obtain rush pith fibers with boron nitride coating on the surface.

[0064] Finally, the boron nitride-coated rush fiber was subjected to atmospheric pressure plasma etching for 3 minutes to obtain hydrophilic rush fiber with boron nitride coating.

[0065] S2. Preparation of hydrophobic thermally conductive fibers:

[0066] Boron nitride particles were uniformly dispersed in a binary mixed solvent. Under continuous stirring, a predetermined mass of polyurethane (PU) particles was slowly added until the particles were completely dissolved. Stirring continued for 60 minutes, followed by vacuum degassing to obtain a homogeneous boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution. The stirring rate was 300 r / min. The binary mixed solvent was obtained by mixing N,N-dimethylacetamide and toluene in a 1:1 mass ratio. In the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution, the mass fraction of boron nitride was 3%, and the mass fraction of the total solids content was 15%.

[0067] The boron nitride-coated rush fiber (i.e. rush fiber that has not undergone plasma etching) obtained in step S1 was immersed in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution for vacuum degassing for 10 min. After being taken out, it was placed in a water coagulation bath for 1 h, and then dried in an oven at 80°C for 1 h to obtain a composite thermally conductive fiber with a three-dimensional network structure.

[0068] 10 g of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and 10 drops of acetic acid were added dropwise to 250 mL of boron nitride solution, and the mixture was reacted on a magnetic stirrer for 30 min. Then, the composite thermally conductive fiber was immersed in the solution and reacted for 4 h to obtain the modified composite thermally conductive fiber. The concentration of boron nitride in the boron nitride solution was 5 mg / mL.

[0069] Next, the modified composite thermally conductive fiber was cleaned with deionized water and then hot-pressed at 80℃ and 5MPa for 3 minutes, followed by atmospheric pressure air plasma etching for another 3 minutes to obtain hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber. Figure 1 The image shown is an electron microscope image of the cross-section of the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber.

[0070] S3. Weaving

[0071] According to the preset fabric structure diagram (such as...) Figure 2 As shown), the warp-reed threading, warp-weft beating, and other processes are performed sequentially on a small-scale weaving machine using the forward threading method. The fasteners used are metric 70 reed / 10cm, resulting in a warp-weft tightness ratio of 2:3. (See diagram). Figure 2 As shown, the weaving process uses 8 yarns per cycle. All warp yarns are woven with profiled fibers to form a transition layer. Yarns 2, 3, 6, and 7 incorporate hydrophilic rush fibers to form an outer hydrophilic evaporation layer. Yarns 1, 4, 5, and 8 incorporate hydrophobic and thermally conductive fibers to form an inner high thermal conductivity and hydrophobic layer. The final result is as shown... Figure 3 The structure shown is as described. This thermal comfort fabric is a plain weave fabric prepared by machine weaving.

[0072] Examples 2-3 and Comparative Examples 1-2

[0073] A method for preparing a thermally comfortable fabric differs from Example 1 in that the concentration of boron nitride in the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution is different in step S1. Otherwise, it is largely the same as Example 1 and will not be repeated here.

[0074] The performance of the thermal comfort fabrics prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-2 was tested, and the results are shown in Table 1:

[0075] Thermal conductivity was tested using a transient hot wire thermal conductivity meter. The test parameter was thermal conductivity. Each sample was measured 5 times, and the average value was taken.

[0076] The unidirectional moisture conduction performance was tested using a moisture management tester. The test parameters were the unidirectional transport index and the wetting time of the inner and outer layers. Each sample was measured 5 times at different locations, and the average value was taken.

[0077] The water evaporation rate refers to the rate at which water evaporates from the hydrophilic evaporation layer. According to GB / T21655.1, the water evaporation rate was analyzed, with each sample measured five times and the average value taken.

[0078] Table 1. Thermally conductive composite materials with three-dimensional network structures prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-2.

[0079]

[0080]

[0081] As shown in Table 1, with the increase of boron nitride concentration in the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution, the thermal conductivity of the prepared composite fabric shows an upward trend followed by a gradual plateau. The moisture management performance (unidirectional transport index, inner layer wetting time, outer layer wetting time) and moisture evaporation rate fluctuate within a certain range. This is mainly because with the change of boron nitride concentration, the coating structure formed by boron nitride on the surface of rush changes, which not only affects the structure of the heat conduction pathway, but also affects the wetting gradient difference between the inner and outer layers, thus affecting the thermal and moisture conduction performance.

[0082] Examples 4-5 and Comparative Examples 3-4

[0083] A method for preparing a thermally comfortable fabric differs from Example 1 in that the duration of atmospheric pressure air plasma etching in step S1 is different; otherwise, it is largely the same as Example 1 and will not be repeated here.

[0084] The performance of the thermal comfort fabrics prepared in Examples 4-5 and Comparative Examples 3-4 was tested, and the results are shown in Figure 2:

[0085] The water evaporation rate refers to the rate at which water evaporates from the hydrophilic evaporation layer.

[0086] Table 2. Thermally conductive composite materials with three-dimensional network structures prepared in Examples 4-5 and Comparative Examples 3-4.

[0087]

[0088] As shown in Table 2, with the increase of atmospheric pressure air plasma etching time, the thermal conductivity of the prepared composite fabrics does not differ significantly, while the unidirectional transport index and water evaporation rate gradually increase and then tend to level off. The wetting time of the inner layer fluctuates within a certain range, while the wetting time of the outer layer shows a decreasing trend to level off. This is mainly because, with the increase of atmospheric pressure air plasma etching time, the hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic evaporation layer increases, resulting in a larger wetting gradient difference between the inner and outer layers, thereby accelerating the extraction and evaporation of moisture.

[0089] Examples 6-7 and Comparative Examples 5-6

[0090] A method for preparing a thermally comfortable fabric differs from Example 1 in that the mass fraction of boron nitride in the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution is different in step S2. Otherwise, it is largely the same as Example 1 and will not be described again here.

[0091] The performance of the thermal comfort fabrics prepared in Examples 6-7 and Comparative Examples 5-6 was tested, and the results are shown in Figure 3:

[0092] The water evaporation rate refers to the rate at which water evaporates from the hydrophilic evaporation layer.

[0093] Table 3. Thermally conductive composite materials with three-dimensional network structures prepared in Examples 6-7 and Comparative Examples 5-6.

[0094]

[0095] As shown in Table 3, the thermal conductivity of the prepared composite fabric increases with the increase of the mass fraction of boron nitride in the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution, while the moisture management performance and moisture evaporation rate vary within a certain range. This is mainly because the amount of boron nitride entering the interior of the rush changes with the change of the mass fraction of boron nitride, and the thermally conductive network structure formed by the boron nitride inside the rush changes, thus affecting the performance of the composite fabric.

[0096] Examples 8-9 and Comparative Examples 7-8

[0097] A method for preparing a thermally comfortable fabric differs from Example 1 in that, in step S2, the concentration of boron nitride in the boron nitride solution containing silane coupling agent and acetic acid is different. Otherwise, it is largely the same as Example 1 and will not be repeated here.

[0098] The performance of the thermal comfort fabrics prepared in Examples 8-9 and Comparative Examples 7-8 was tested, and the results are shown in Figure 4:

[0099] The water evaporation rate refers to the rate at which water evaporates from the hydrophilic evaporation layer.

[0100] Table 4. Thermally conductive composite materials with three-dimensional network structures prepared in Examples 8-9 and Comparative Examples 7-8.

[0101]

[0102] As shown in Table 4, with the increase of boron nitride concentration in the boron nitride solution containing silane coupling agent and acetic acid, the thermal conductivity of the prepared composite fabric shows an increasing trend followed by a gradual plateau, while the moisture management performance and moisture evaporation rate fluctuate within a certain range. This is mainly because, with the increase of boron nitride concentration, the amount of boron nitride attached to the surface of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer increases, and the thermally conductive network structure formed between the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic interior and exterior becomes more superior, thus affecting the performance of the composite fabric.

[0103] Examples 10-13 and Comparative Examples 9-10

[0104] A method for preparing a thermally comfortable fabric differs from Example 1 in that the temperature of the hot pressing treatment in step S2 is different; otherwise, it is largely the same as Example 1 and will not be described again here.

[0105] The performance of the thermal comfort fabrics prepared in Examples 10-13 and Comparative Examples 9-10 was tested, and the results are shown in Figure 5:

[0106] The water evaporation rate refers to the rate at which water evaporates from the hydrophilic evaporation layer.

[0107] Table 5. Thermally conductive composite materials with three-dimensional network structures prepared in Examples 10-13 and Comparative Examples 9-10

[0108]

[0109]

[0110] As shown in Table 5, the moisture management performance, moisture evaporation rate, and thermal conductivity of the prepared composite fabrics all change with the temperature and time of hot pressing. This is mainly because the hot pressing process causes the dense structure inside the fiber to change to varying degrees. Too high a temperature will destroy the three-dimensional thermal conductivity network, while too low a temperature will prevent the formation of a dense structure, thus affecting the performance of the composite fabric.

[0111] Examples 14-15 and Comparative Examples 11-12

[0112] A method for preparing a thermally comfortable fabric differs from Example 1 in that the duration of atmospheric pressure air plasma etching in step S2 is different; otherwise, it is largely the same as Example 1 and will not be repeated here.

[0113] The performance of the thermal comfort fabrics prepared in Examples 14-15 and Comparative Examples 11-12 was tested, and the results are shown in Figure 6:

[0114] The water evaporation rate refers to the rate at which water evaporates from the hydrophilic evaporation layer.

[0115] Table 6. Thermally conductive composite materials with three-dimensional network structures prepared in Examples 14-15 and Comparative Examples 11-12.

[0116]

[0117]

[0118] As shown in Table 6, the thermal conductivity of the prepared composite fabric increases with the increase of atmospheric pressure air plasma etching time. The wetting time of the inner layer and the outer layer show a decreasing to leveling-off trend, while the moisture evaporation rate and unidirectional transport index show a trend of first leveling off and then decreasing. This is mainly because with the increase of atmospheric pressure air plasma etching time, the hydrophobic properties of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer change, showing a gradual tendency to become hydrophilic, making it easier to absorb sweat from the human skin surface, and thus easier to conduct heat and moisture. However, excessively long air plasma treatment time will lead to excessive hydrophilicity of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer, resulting in insufficient upward hydrophobic force against moisture, affecting the unidirectional moisture-wicking performance of the composite fabric.

[0119] Comparative Example 13

[0120] A method for preparing a thermal comfort fabric differs from Example 1 in that, in step S3, the irregularly shaped fibers are replaced with circular fibers of similar diameter. The rest of the method is largely the same as in Example 1 and will not be repeated here. The thermal comfort fabric obtained in Comparative Example 13 has a thermal conductivity of 0.414 W / (m·K), a unidirectional transport index of 86.14, an inner layer wetting time of 8.51 s, an outer layer wetting time of 10.78 s, and a moisture evaporation rate of 0.26 g / h. This demonstrates that using irregularly shaped fibers significantly improves the performance of the composite fabric.

[0121] In summary, the present invention provides a thermal comfort fabric and its preparation method. This thermal comfort fabric utilizes natural fiber rush to construct a wetting gradient in different layers. At the same time, rush is combined with boron nitride, polyurethane, etc., to form heat conduction passages in both the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer. The high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic evaporation layer are fixed by shaped fibers. Through the synergistic effect of heat conduction and moisture conduction, moisture can be quickly discharged while maintaining a comfortable environment between the textile and the skin.

[0122] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal comfort fabric, characterized in that, It includes a high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer, a transition layer, and a hydrophilic evaporation layer arranged sequentially from the inside out; the transition layer consists of several irregularly shaped fibers arranged along the warp direction, and the weft yarns of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer and the weft yarns of the hydrophilic evaporation layer are fixed by the irregularly shaped fibers of the transition layer; the weft yarns of the high thermal conductivity hydrophobic layer are hydrophobic and thermally conductive fibers composed of boron nitride, polyurethane, and rush pith; the weft yarns of the hydrophilic evaporation layer are hydrophilic rush pith fibers with boron nitride coated on the surface.

2. The thermal comfort fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrophilic rush fiber is obtained by soaking rush in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a certain preset time, drying it, and then modifying its surface to be hydrophilic.

3. The thermal comfort fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber is obtained by first immersing boron nitride-coated rush fiber in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution, then treating it in a coagulation bath for a certain preset time, drying it, loading it with boron nitride, and then hot-pressing and etching the surface; the boron nitride-coated rush fiber is obtained by immersing rush in a boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution for a certain preset time and then drying it.

4. The thermal comfort fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional shape of the shaped fiber includes one of polygonal, flat ribbon, and hollow fiber; the chemical composition of the shaped fiber includes one of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyamide.

5. The thermal comfort fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal comfort fabric is a weft-faced multi-layered fabric prepared by machine weaving; the weave structure of the weft-faced multi-layered fabric includes one of the following: weft-faced multiple plain weave variation weave, weft-faced twill weave variation weave, weft-faced satin weave, and openwork combined weave.

6. A method for preparing a thermally comfortable fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Immerse rush in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a certain preset time, dry, and perform surface hydrophilic modification to obtain the hydrophilic rush fiber; S2. First, soak the rush pith in a boron nitride / adhesive mixture for a certain preset time, and then dry it to obtain rush pith fibers with boron nitride coating on the surface; then soak the rush pith fibers with boron nitride coating on the surface in a boron nitride / polyurethane mixture for a certain preset time, take them out and then treat them in a coagulation bath for a certain preset time, dry them and then load them with boron nitride, and then hot press them and etch the surface to obtain the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber; S3. The hydrophilic rush fiber, the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber, and the shaped fiber are woven into a multi-layered weft fabric according to a preset weaving method to obtain the thermal comfort fabric; in the thermal comfort fabric, the shaped fiber is arranged along the warp in the middle layer, the hydrophilic rush fiber and the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber are arranged along the weft on both sides of the middle layer, and the hydrophilic rush fiber and the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber are fixed by the shaped fiber.

7. The method for preparing thermally comfortable fabric according to claim 6, characterized in that, Step S1 specifically involves: adding a predetermined amount of boron nitride to acetone and sonicating for 10-30 minutes; then adding a predetermined amount of adhesive and mixing to obtain the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution; immersing the rush pith in the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution and sonicating for 10-30 minutes; washing, drying, and plasma etching to obtain the hydrophilic rush pith fiber.

8. The method for preparing thermally comfortable fabric according to claim 6, characterized in that, Step S2 specifically involves: adding a predetermined amount of boron nitride to acetone and sonicating for 10-30 minutes; then adding a predetermined amount of adhesive and mixing to obtain the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution; immersing rush pith in the boron nitride / adhesive mixed solution and sonicating for 10-30 minutes; washing and drying to obtain rush pith fibers with boron nitride coating on the surface. Boron nitride was dispersed in a binary mixed solvent of N,N-dimethylacetamide and toluene, and then polyurethane was added and mixed to obtain the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution. The surface of the rush fiber coated with boron nitride is immersed in the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution for a certain preset time. After being taken out, it is placed in a coagulation bath for a certain preset time and dried. Then, it is immersed in a boron nitride solution containing silane coupling agent and acetic acid to load boron nitride. After washing, drying, hot pressing, and plasma etching, the hydrophobic thermally conductive fiber is obtained.

9. The method for preparing thermally comfortable fabric according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the boron nitride / binder mixture solution, the concentration of the binder is 2-5 mg / mL and the concentration of boron nitride is 5-10 mg / mL; the plasma etching time is 3-10 min.

10. The method for preparing thermally comfortable fabric according to claim 8, characterized in that, In the boron nitride / polyurethane mixed solution, the mass fraction of boron nitride is 3%-6%, and the mass fraction of total solids is 10%-20%; in the boron nitride solution containing silane coupling agent and acetic acid, the concentration of boron nitride is 5-10 mg / mL; the hot pressing treatment is performed at 80-100℃ and 5 MPa for 1-3 min; the plasma etching duration is 3-10 min.

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