Temperature-Responsive Polyester Fiber for Adaptive Humidity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional moisture-absorbing and perspiration clothing loses temperature and humidity-controlling functions under saturated humidity during exercise, failing to maintain thermal comfort.
Innovation Solution
A temperature-sensitive and humidity-regulating fiber is developed, featuring a polymer with a polyester main chain and side chains that change hydrophilicity with temperature, allowing for quick drying at high temperatures for cooling and slow drying at low temperatures to reduce heat loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional passive fabric structure design and finishing processing technology are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but temperature and humidity-controlling functions are lost under saturated humidity during exercise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the fiber by incorporating temperature-responsive polymer segments with specific LCST values into the polyester structure. This enables the fiber to dynamically adjust its hydrophilicity and moisture transport properties in response to temperature changes, providing adaptive temperature and humidity control without requiring complex multi-layer fabric structures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fiber structure by integrating temperature-responsive polymer segments (containing amide groups and hydroxyl groups) with polyester chains. This composite material combines the thermal stability and mechanical strength of polyester with the temperature-sensitive hydrophilic-hydrophobic transition properties of the responsive polymer segments, enabling intelligent humidity regulation
2Temperature
If quick-drying function is enhanced for cooling, then cooling performance is improved, but heat loss reduction function at low temperatures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic moisture transport properties through temperature-responsive polymer segments that undergo hydrophilic-hydrophobic transitions at specific LCST values. At high temperatures above LCST, the segments become hydrophobic and accelerate moisture evaporation for cooling. At low temperatures below LCST, they become hydrophilic and retain moisture to prevent heat loss, thus dynamically adapting to environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition phenomenon of temperature-responsive polymer segments between hydrophilic and hydrophobic states at their lower critical solution temperature (LCST). This phase transition enables the fiber to switch between quick-drying mode for cooling and moisture-retention mode for heat conservation, effectively managing both cooling and heat loss reduction functions
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple purification and cleaning steps are added between manufacturing steps, then product purity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs self-cleaning properties of the temperature-responsive fiber through its hydrophilic-hydrophobic transition. The fiber automatically repels water and contaminants when its surface transitions to a hydrophobic state at temperatures above LCST, eliminating the need for additional purification and cleaning steps between manufacturing processes while maintaining product purity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary purification and cleaning steps from the manufacturing process by leveraging the inherent self-cleaning properties of the temperature-responsive fiber. The hydrophobic surface state that forms at elevated temperatures naturally repels water and impurities, removing the need for separate cleaning operations and thereby improving manufacturing efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fiber maintains thermal comfort by providing a cooling function at high temperatures and reducing heat loss at low temperatures, while also simplifying the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for purification and cleaning between steps.
Implementation Method 1
the side chain is a structure shown in Formula (1)... the temperature-sensitive and humidity-regulating fiber can be quickly dried at high temperature to achieve a cooling function, and can slow down the drying rate of moisture at low temperature
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A temperature-sensitive and humidity-regulating fiber includes a polymer. The polymer includes a polyester main chain and at least one side chain, and the side chain is connected to the polyester main chain. The side chain is a structure shown in Formula (1): in which R is an alkylene group.