Asymmetrical surface-modified polyester/cotton fabrics for temperature-adaptive moisture and thermal management of human body

Abstract

Personal moisture and thermal management fabrics that can regulate skin temperature are highly desired for improving human comfort and performance. Here, a symmetric surface modified polyester/cotton fabric (Janus T/C fabric) exhibiting exceptional temperature-adaptive personal moisture and thermal managements was developed. This was achieved by integrating two distinct temperature-sensitive hydrophobic/hydrophilic transition materials through single-sided spray coating technique and in-situ ultraviolet-induced free radical polymerization in 60/40 polyester/cotton blend fabric (T/C fabric, composed of 60 % cotton and 40 % polyester fibers). 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethoxyethyl-methacrylate (MEO2MA) was utilized to create lower critical solution temperature (LCST) polymer, while N, N-dimethyl (methacryloylethyl) ammonium propane sulfonate (DMAPS) formed an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymer on T/C fabric surface. Fabric’s surface demonstrated a reversible transition in hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity in response to environmental temperature changes. The distinct hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces configuration resulted in a remarkable wettability gradient, significantly increased moisture permeability to 6792.5 g/m2·24 h—an increase of 1132.1 g/m2·24 h compared to the 60/40 T/C fabric at 40 °C. Moreover, the Janus T/C fabric provided practical temperature adaptation benefits, offering a cooling effect of approximately 1.2 °C in hot environments and a warming effect of approximately 1.0 °C in cold conditions. These thermal responsive properties make the asymmetric surface-modified polyester/cotton fabric an ideal choice for personalized moisture and thermal management, ensuring optimal comfort across varying temperatures.