Nanomaterial-based textiles for personal thermal management: Perspectives of the fabrications and properties

Abstract

Personal thermal management technology has been widely welcomed due to its role in reducing total energy consumption. However, the demand for thermal managed textiles extends beyond mere cooling or warming functions. Advanced thermal management textiles with hybrid temperature regulation capabilities, dynamic utilities, and aesthetics are more likely to be favored. Nanomaterial-based personal thermal management (PTM) technologies fulfill these requirements and facilitate the development of the next generation of smart textiles. To catch up with the up-to-date development of the PTM involving the nanomaterial-based technology, we prepare this perspective to first summarize the necessity and basic concept of PTM technology, and briefly described four ways in which the human body obtains and dissipates heat. Subsequently, passive thermoregulation textile-based nanomaterials, including passive cooling textiles and passive warming textiles, active thermoregulation textile-based nanomaterials, and hybrid thermoregulation textile-based nanomaterials, were reviewed in detail. The central parts of this review contain the introduction of the working principles of the nanomaterial-based textiles, PTM strategies, structural designs, manufacturing processes, and the corresponding performances, followed by conclusions and future perspectives. With continuous efforts and improvements of the nanomaterials, architectures of materials, and manufactures, it is envisioned that the nanomaterials-based PTM technology will become a complementary technique to improve human comfort and reduce global energy consumption.