Abstract
Protection from arctic cold weather has been an ongoing need in military clothing. Current garment systems are problematic due to overdressing, poor moisture management, discomfort following strenuous activity, loss of dexterity and risk of pain and frostbite. All these challenges must be balanced to improve the mobility of Soldiers while reducing pain, hypothermia, and risk of frostbite. In this work, we develop an electrically conductive coating for military uniform fabrics based on synthesized networks of silver nanowires (AgNWs). The nanowire network provides thermal insulation through increased infrared (IR) heat retention as well active Joule heating of the fabric. Long silver nanowires were synthesized using the polyol method where silver nitrate is reduced in the presence of iron chloride seeds, ethylene glycol, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone. Different fabrics including polyester, polypropylene, cotton, and NyCo (50/50 blend of cotton and nylon) were coated with the nanowire ink, and thermal properties were examined. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed a highly thermally insulating coating with an IR reflectance of ~24 % for 100% cotton. Joule heating experiments were carried out and revealed that the temperature of the AgNW-coated textile could be increased by up to 109 °C with 3 V in under one minute. The sheet resistance of the coated fabric was measured using a IV-point probe and found to be significantly lower than the sheet resistance of untreated fabric suggesting the development of a highly conductive textile. Thermal images were also studied and thermal radiation of AgNW-coated fabric was decreased by ~3 °C, indicating that the coated textile appeared cold while being worn. The moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of the coated fabric was investigated and results suggested that coating the different material fabric with AgNW networks does not affect the breathability of the textile since no significant changes in MVTR were observed for any of the fabrics. The results of our research suggest that AgNW-coated textiles could provide passive and active thermal management solutions to offer Soldiers protection from extreme climatic operating environments.
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