Abstract
The infrared optical properties of textiles are of great importance in numerous applications, including infrared therapy and body thermoregulation. Tuning the spectral response of fabrics by the engineering of composite textile materials can produce fabrics targeted for use in these applications. We present spectroscopic data for engineered polyester fabric containing varying amounts of ceramic microparticles within the fiber core and report a spectrally-dependent shift in infrared reflectance, transmittance and absorptance. A thermal transport model is subsequently implemented to study the effect of these modified properties on the spectral distribution of infrared radiation incident upon the wearer of a garment constructed of this fabric.
Highlights
The engineering of textiles to exhibit desired optical properties has long been explored, with success demonstrated in various methods including: co-spinning of different materials, introduction of gradients in fiber cross-sectional shape, inclusion of inorganic content, or use of dyes and other additives [1,2]
A thermal transport model is subsequently implemented to study the effect of these modified properties on the spectral distribution of infrared radiation incident upon the wearer of a garment constructed of this fabric
Mid-infrared optical properties are of particular importance when considering interactions with the human body, as at nominal skin temperature much of the body’s emissive radiative power is centered in the mid-infrared between 7 and 14 μm, and infrared heat losses account for approximately 50% of body cooling in typical indoor conditions [7,8]
Summary
The engineering of textiles to exhibit desired optical properties has long been explored, with success demonstrated in various methods including: co-spinning of different materials, introduction of gradients in fiber cross-sectional shape, inclusion of inorganic content, or use of dyes and other additives [1,2]. The measured optical properties were subsequently utilized in a first-principle-based heat transfer model, accounting for emitted, reflected and transmitted radiant energy as well as thermal transport via conduction and convection, to determine the magnitude and spectral distribution of infrared energy received by a wearer of each fabric in the 0.8 – 16.7 μm spectral region. It is demonstrated that with increasing added ceramic content, the modified textile fabrics reflect and transmit less infrared energy and absorb more. This is evident at wavelengths shorter than 6 μm. The modified fabrics with added ceramic content can absorb incoming radiation from the sun in the near-IR region, and emit increased levels of infrared energy at longer wavelengths, as compared to the same fabric without ceramic content. Thermal modeling indicates that this effect persists over a broad range of environmental and fit factors; such a fabric could be utilized when the physical properties of a polyester blend warrant its selection over alternative fabric materials, yet modified near- and mid-infrared optical properties are desired
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