Optically thermally coupled thermal fabric and method of making same

Abstract

The application provides an optical thermal coupling warm-keeping fabric and a preparation method thereof, wherein light-absorbing yarn and heat-reflecting yarn are woven into double-layered tissue with one side being the heat-reflecting yarn and the other side being the light-absorbing yarn, and hollow heat-insulating material is filled into the double-layered tissue as weft to obtain the optical thermal coupling warm-keeping fabric. By combining the heat-reflecting yarn and the light-absorbing yarn, the fabric can effectively reflect the heat emitted by the human body, reduce heat loss, absorb external light energy to convert into heat energy, improve the warm-keeping effect, and the hollow heat-insulating material increases the volume of the static air layer, further improves the warm-keeping effect without affecting the flexibility of the fabric. The preparation process is simple, and by combining the textile technology and the material, the application provides a high-efficiency warm-keeping, comfortable and environmentally-friendly warm-keeping fabric, which has wide application prospect and commercial value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of textile technology, and in particular to an optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Natural materials such as silk, cotton, and industrial hemp are widely used in traditional textiles to achieve warmth and comfort in clothing. Traditional thermal clothing often relies on heavy materials and multiple layers to achieve warmth, which not only restricts the wearer's freedom of movement but also increases the feeling of heaviness. Therefore, traditional textiles can no longer meet the diverse and functional needs of modern life, especially in outdoor sports and medical care, where higher demands are placed on the warmth, breathability, and moisture permeability of textiles. While traditional thermal materials, such as pure cotton fabrics, have good breathability and moisture permeability, their warmth retention is limited under extreme weather conditions, making it difficult to effectively insulate against the effects of low temperatures. Some high-tech materials, such as Mylar blankets (polyester film blankets), offer good insulation, but their poor breathability can lead to discomfort with prolonged use.

[0003] Research on advanced materials with human body heat radiation control functions has attracted widespread attention in order to regulate heat exchange (infrared radiation flow) between the human body and the surrounding environment. Infrared transparent radiation textiles, radiation-emitting textiles, solar-reflective cooling textiles, and conductive cooling textiles with enhanced thermal conductivity have achieved some success in maintaining coolness in warm environments. Conversely, in cold climates, there is an urgent need for textiles with warming properties to reduce heat loss to the surrounding environment. Currently, thermal insulation materials such as porous aerogel fibers and infrared reflective materials combined with metal particles and wires have achieved some success in reducing heat loss. However, technological bottlenecks remain in achieving the self-heating function of textiles to compensate for the heat dissipation of infrared radiation. Therefore, the development of textiles with self-heating functions has become a current research hotspot.

[0004] In view of this, it is necessary to design an improved optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric and its preparation method to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention aims to provide an optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric and its preparation method. Through textile processes, a double-layer structure is woven using light-absorbing yarns and heat-reflecting yarns, combined with hollow tubular thermal insulation materials to increase light absorption and improve the thermal insulation effect.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for preparing an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric, comprising the following steps:

[0007] A double-layer structure is formed by weaving light-absorbing yarn and heat-reflecting yarn into a structure with one side being the heat-reflecting yarn and the other side being the light-absorbing yarn using textile technology. Hollow heat-insulating material is then placed into the double-layer structure as weft filling to obtain an optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the light-absorbing yarn has an absorption rate of over 90% in the solar light wavelength range of 280–2500 nm.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the light-absorbing yarn is made by modifying the surface of a light-absorbing material with a non-light-absorbing yarn; or, the light-absorbing yarn is made by spinning a mixture of a light-absorbing material and a polymer material.

[0010] Furthermore, the light-absorbing material is one of carbonized tubes, graphene, zirconium carbide, polypyrrole, and carbon black; the non-light-absorbing yarn is one of cotton fiber, wool fiber, silk fiber, and regenerated cellulose fiber; and the polymer material is one of polyurethane, polylactic acid, and polyester.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the heat-reflective yarn is obtained by modifying a metal surface with natural or chemical fibers; the natural fiber is one of cotton fiber, wool fiber, and silk fiber; the chemical fiber is one of polyester, acrylic fiber, and regenerated cellulose fiber.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the hollow insulation material is one of hollow silicone tube, polyethylene hollow tube, and polyurethane hollow tube.

[0013] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the hollow insulation material is 0.4–0.8 mm.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the textile process is machine weaving or knitting. The machine weaving method is as follows: the heat-reflective yarn and the light-absorbing yarn are used as warp yarns, and a double-layer structure is adopted to weave the heat-reflective yarn, the light-absorbing yarn and the hollow heat insulation material into a double-sided core-filled fabric.

[0015] The knitting method is as follows: using the heat-reflective yarn and the light-absorbing yarn as the main yarns, weft knitting is used, and hollow heat-insulating material is used as the core yarn for weft knitting to obtain a double-sided core-filled fabric.

[0016] The present invention also provides an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric, which is prepared by the above-described preparation method.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0018] This invention provides an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric and its preparation method. It utilizes textile technology to weave light-absorbing yarns and heat-reflecting yarns into a double-layer structure with one side being the heat-reflecting yarn and the other side being the light-absorbing yarn. Hollow insulating material is then inserted into the double-layer structure as a weft core to obtain the optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric. This invention employs a double-sided design to superimpose optical and thermal coupling, altering the mutual radiative energy exchange between the skin, fabric, and environment. Combined with hollow insulating material, it increases light absorption and improves the thermal insulation effect. The preparation process of this invention is simple. Through textile technology and material combination, it provides a highly efficient, comfortable, and environmentally friendly thermal insulation fabric with broad application prospects and commercial value.

[0019] This invention combines heat-reflective and light-absorbing yarns, enabling the fabric to effectively reflect heat emitted by the human body, reducing heat loss, while simultaneously absorbing external light energy and converting it into heat energy, thereby improving warmth retention. The light-absorbing yarns absorb light energy and convert it into heat energy, achieving effective heat management and utilization. Utilizing external light energy as a supplement to heat energy reduces dependence on traditional energy sources, offering certain energy-saving and environmental benefits.

[0020] This invention uses a core-filling structure combined with hollow tubular insulation material to increase the volume of the static air layer, thereby improving the heat retention effect without affecting the flexibility of the fabric.

[0021] The double-sided coupling fabric of this invention exhibits lower thermal conductivity compared to other ordinary textiles. Outdoor thermal insulation data on sunny days shows that this fabric has a higher temperature difference of more than 10°C compared to a double-sided pure cotton sample without special treatment, and a Mylar blanket sample, and a temperature difference of more than 5°C compared to the Mylar blanket sample. Compared to the Mylar blanket sample and pure cotton woven fabric of the same thickness, the optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric of this invention has excellent breathability, while its moisture permeability is close to that of pure cotton fabric, achieving a balance between functionality and comfort. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric provided by the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 A 3D microscope image of the cross-section of the optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 The solar absorption spectrum of the thermal insulation fabric provided in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Example 1 of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5The thermal insulation fabrics provided in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Example 2 of this invention are at 100W / m 2 Insulation effect under heating power.

[0027] Figure 6 The thermal insulation fabrics provided in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Example 2 of this invention are at 200W / m 2 Insulation effect under heating power.

[0028] Figure 7 The thermal insulation fabrics provided in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Example 2 of this invention are at 300W / m 2 Insulation effect under heating power.

[0029] Figure 8 The data provided are the thermal insulation data of the thermal insulation fabrics provided in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 of the present invention on sunny days.

[0030] Figure 9 The results are the air permeability test results of the thermal insulation fabrics provided in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 10 The results are the moisture permeability test results of the thermal insulation fabrics provided in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 of the present invention.

[0032] Figure Labels

[0033] 1. Light-absorbing yarn; 2. Hollow insulation material; 3. Heat-reflective yarn. Detailed Implementation

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] This invention provides a method for preparing an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric, comprising the following steps:

[0038] The light-absorbing yarn 1 and the heat-reflecting yarn 3 are woven into a double-layer structure with one side being the heat-reflecting yarn 3 and the other side being the light-absorbing yarn 1 using textile technology. Hollow heat-insulating material 2 is placed into the double-layer structure as weft filling to obtain an optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric.

[0039] Specifically, the light-absorbing yarn 1 is preferably a yarn with an absorption rate of over 90% in the solar light wavelength range of 280-2500nm, which can efficiently absorb most of the wavelengths in sunlight and thus convert them into heat energy.

[0040] Light-absorbing yarn 1 is made by modifying the surface of a non-light-absorbing yarn with a light-absorbing material, that is, coating or chemically bonding the light-absorbing material to the surface of the non-light-absorbing yarn; or, it is made by mixing and spinning a light-absorbing material with a polymer material, that is, directly mixing the light-absorbing material with a polymer material and then producing yarn through a spinning process. By selecting appropriate light-absorbing materials and non-light-absorbing yarns, warmth, comfort, and durability can be balanced.

[0041] The light-absorbing material is one of carbonized tubes, graphene, zirconium carbide, polypyrrole, and carbon black; the non-light-absorbing yarn is one of cotton fiber, wool fiber, silk fiber, and regenerated cellulose fiber; and the polymer material is one of polyurethane, polylactic acid, and polyester.

[0042] Heat-reflective yarn 3 is obtained by modifying the surface of natural or chemical fibers with metal. The natural fibers are one of cotton, wool, or silk; the chemical fibers are one of polyester, acrylic, or regenerated cellulose fibers. By depositing metal onto the fiber surface, the fiber can reflect heat radiation, providing a heat insulation effect. The metals used for surface modification include one of the following: elemental metals and their oxides, hydroxides, carbides, nitrides, and sulfides. The elemental metals are one of silver, aluminum, copper, gold, nickel, chromium, and titanium. Fiber surface modification is achieved through methods such as chemical plating, electroplating, and vacuum plating.

[0043] The hollow insulation material 2 is one of hollow silicone tube, polyethylene hollow tube, and polyurethane hollow tube, and the inner diameter of the hollow insulation material 2 is preferably 0.4-0.8 mm. By setting the hollow insulation material 2 in the double-layer fabric, the volume of the static air layer is increased, effectively reducing heat loss. The hollow tubular structure helps maintain the breathability of the fabric and improves the heat retention effect without affecting the flexibility of the fabric.

[0044] In some specific embodiments, the method of using the light-absorbing material polypyrrole to surface-modify non-light-absorbing yarn further includes treating the non-light-absorbing yarn in a polypyrrole solution, then stirring it in a ferric chloride solution and drying it for later use. Specifically, the non-light-absorbing yarn is treated in a polypyrrole solution for 25–35 minutes, then immersed in a 5–10% ferric chloride solution while being magnetically stirred for 1.5–2.5 hours, and finally dried at 50–70°C for 2–3 hours for later use. After modification with polypyrrole and ferric chloride, the yarn can better absorb light energy and convert it into heat energy, thereby enhancing its warmth retention effect.

[0045] The textile process is either machine weaving or knitting. Machine weaving involves using heat-reflective yarn 3 and light-absorbing yarn 1 as warp yarns, employing a double-layered weave structure, and weaving the heat-reflective yarn 3, light-absorbing yarn 1, and hollow heat-insulating material 2 into a double-sided filled fabric. Knitting involves using heat-reflective yarn 3 and light-absorbing yarn 1 as main yarns, employing a weft knitting method, and using hollow heat-insulating material 2 as the filled yarn for weft weaving to obtain a double-sided filled fabric.

[0046] The optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric obtained using the above method is shown in the schematic diagram below. Figure 1 As shown, the cross-sectional schematic diagram is as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0047] The preparation method of the optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric provided by the present invention will be described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] Example 1 provides a method for preparing an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric, comprising the following steps:

[0050] S1. After immersing the cotton thread in a polypyrrole solution for 30 minutes, it is placed in a 5% ferric chloride solution and magnetically stirred for 2 hours. Then, it is dried at 60°C for 2 hours to obtain PPy-FeCl3 yarn.

[0051] S2. Using silver-plated yarn and PPy-FeCl3 yarn as warp yarns, the heddles are threaded sequentially in sections 1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 7, 4, 8. The outer warp uses silver-plated yarn, and the inner warp uses PPy-FeCl3 yarn. A double-layered weave is used on the loom. During weft insertion, the outer warp interweaves with the silver-plated yarn, and the inner warp interweaves with the PPy-FeCl3 yarn. After weaving a length of 3mm, a hollow silicone tube with an inner diameter of 0.5mm is inserted, and a plain weave stage is used. Then, the weave is changed to a double-layered weave, repeating the above operations to complete the weaving of the double-sided filled fabric, obtaining an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric. Its cross-sectional 3D microscope image is shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the prepared optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric has a double-layer structure with a hollow silicone tube in the middle.

[0052] Example 2

[0053] Example 2 provides a method for preparing an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric, comprising the following steps:

[0054] S1. After immersing the cotton thread in a polypyrrole solution for 30 minutes, it is placed in a 10% ferric chloride solution and magnetically stirred for 2 hours. Then, it is dried at 60°C for 2 hours to obtain PPy-FeCl3 yarn.

[0055] S2. Using weft knitting technology, silver-plated yarn and PPy-FeCl3 yarn are woven into a double-layer structure with one side being silver-plated yarn and the other side being PPy-FeCl3 yarn. Hollow silicone tubes are placed in the double-layer structure as weft filling to obtain an optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric.

[0056] Comparative Example 1

[0057] Comparative Example 1 provides a method for preparing an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric. The only difference from Example 1 is that the cotton thread was not treated with polypyrrole and ferric chloride. Other experimental parameters and conditions are basically the same as those in Example 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0058] Comparative Example 2

[0059] Comparative Example 2 provides a method for preparing an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric. Compared with Example 1, the only difference is that a hollow silicone tube is not added. Other experimental parameters and conditions are basically the same as those in Example 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0060] Comparative Example 3

[0061] Comparative Example 3 is a commercially available Mylar blanket sample.

[0062] The optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric prepared according to this invention is cut to the required size and shape to ensure that each piece of fabric is of uniform size. For example... Figure 4 The image shows the solar absorption spectra of the optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabrics prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 of this invention. It can be seen that the absorption percentage of the sample prepared in Example 1 is close to 100% and remains relatively stable across the entire wavelength range. This indicates that the sample in Example 1 has extremely high absorption capacity for solar radiation and can effectively absorb heat from solar radiation. This high absorption capacity is related to the special composition or structure of the sample, enabling it to maximize the utilization of solar radiation to provide a thermal insulation effect. In contrast, the absorption percentage of the sample in Comparative Example 1 fluctuates around 50%, indicating that the absorption capacity of the sample in Comparative Example 1 for solar radiation is relatively low and varies with wavelength, affecting its absorption efficiency.

[0063] Thermal insulation performance was tested under an indoor ambient temperature of 22℃. Figures 5 to 7 As shown, the thermal insulation performance of the thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric and the sample without silicone tube filling in Comparative Example 2 were tested by heating the heat source with power of 100W, 200W and 300W respectively. The results show that the thermal insulation effect of the thermal insulation fabric with silicone tube in this invention is almost 2°C higher than that without silicone tube, and it has excellent thermal insulation performance.

[0064] Figure 8 The outdoor thermal insulation data of the thermal insulation fabrics provided in Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 3 show that the fabric of this application has a temperature difference of more than 10°C and 5°C compared with the pure cotton sample without special treatment and the Mylar blanket sample, respectively, indicating that its thermal insulation effect under natural sunlight conditions is significant.

[0065] Figure 9 The test results of the breathability of the thermal insulation fabrics provided in Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 3 show that the optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric provided in this application has excellent breathability compared with the Mylar blanket sample and pure cotton woven fabric of the same thickness.

[0066] Figure 10 The test results of the moisture permeability of the thermal insulation fabrics provided in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 of the present invention show that the moisture permeability of the optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric provided in this application is close to that of pure cotton fabric. This indicates that the fabric of the present invention successfully maintains good moisture permeability while enhancing the thermal insulation performance, achieving a balance between functionality and comfort.

[0067] In summary, the present invention employs a double-sided design that couples and superimposes optics and thermal properties, effectively reflecting the heat emitted by the human body and reducing heat loss. At the same time, it absorbs external light energy and converts it into heat energy, improving the insulation effect. Combined with the hollow insulation material 2, which increases the volume of the static air layer, the insulation effect is further improved.

[0068] 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 method for preparing an optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Non-light-absorbing yarn is treated in a polypyrrole solution for 25-35 minutes, then treated in a 5-10% ferric chloride solution for 1.5-2.5 hours, and dried to obtain light-absorbing yarn. A double-layer structure is formed by weaving light-absorbing yarn and heat-reflecting yarn into a structure with one side being the heat-reflecting yarn and the other side being the light-absorbing yarn using textile technology. Hollow heat-insulating material is then placed into the double-layer structure as weft filling to obtain an optical-thermal coupling thermal insulation fabric. The non-light-absorbing yarn is one of cotton fiber, wool fiber, silk fiber and regenerated cellulose fiber; The hollow insulation material is one of hollow silicone tube, polyethylene hollow tube, and polyurethane hollow tube; the inner diameter of the hollow insulation material is 0.4~0.8mm.

2. The method for preparing the optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light-absorbing yarn has an absorption rate of over 90% in the solar light wavelength range of 280~2500nm.

3. The method for preparing the optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat-reflective yarn is obtained by modifying a metal surface with natural or chemical fibers; the natural fiber is one of cotton fiber, wool fiber, or silk fiber; the chemical fiber is one of polyester, acrylic fiber, or regenerated cellulose fiber.

4. The method for preparing the optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The textile process is machine weaving or knitting. The machine weaving method is as follows: the heat-reflective yarn and the light-absorbing yarn are used as warp yarns, and a double-layer structure is adopted to weave the heat-reflective yarn, the light-absorbing yarn and the hollow heat insulation material into a double-sided core-filled fabric.

5. The method for preparing the optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric according to claim 4, characterized in that, The knitting method is as follows: using the heat-reflective yarn and the light-absorbing yarn as the main yarns, weft knitting is used, and hollow heat-insulating material is used as the core yarn for weft knitting to obtain a double-sided core-filled fabric.

6. An optically and thermally coupled thermal insulation fabric, characterized in that, It is prepared by the preparation method according to any one of claims 1-5.

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