Development and application of temperature-regulating non-woven fabric fiber

Han Jinmin, Beijing Julong Bofang Science and Technology Research Institute

Temperature-regulating fibers mainly refer to fibers using phase-change temperature-regulating functional materials, and are a high-tech product developed by combining phase-change energy storage material technology with fiber manufacturing technology.

When the temperature of the external environment of textiles containing phase change materials increases, the phase change materials absorb heat and change from solid to liquid, which reduces the body surface temperature. On the contrary, when the temperature of the external environment decreases, the phase change material releases heat from the liquid state to the solid state, reducing the heat released by the human body to the surroundings, so as to maintain the normal body temperature, and provide a comfortable "microclimate" environment for the human body. The human body is always in a comfortable state. This kind of fiber material can actively and intelligently control the surrounding temperature, so it is called intelligent temperature-regulating fiber. Its main manufacturing processes include coating finishing process, composite spinning process and microcapsule spinning process. Among them, the fiber produced by the microcapsule spinning process has the best appearance and feel, and is the most concerned because it is no different from ordinary fibers.

Application fields of thermoregulation fiber

Clothing made with intelligent temperature-regulating fibers, because there are phase-change materials with energy conversion function, which continuously absorbs and releases energy to adjust the temperature, so its clothing can be maintained in a comfortable temperature range, so intelligent temperature adjustment Fiber can make all kinds of comfortable clothing.

The intelligent temperature-regulating fiber can be purely spun, and can also be interwoven with various fibers such as cotton, wool, silk, and hemp, and can be woven or knitted. It is widely used in outdoor clothing, underwear, sweaters, shirts, hats, gloves and bedding, etc., with good results. Its clothing has become very popular in the United States, Europe and Japan. It is especially popular among outdoor athletes and elderly and infants who are sensitive to temperature changes. At present, the countries with relatively mature thermoregulation fibers using phase-change materials as the main thermoregulation function are mainly the United States and Switzerland. The thermoregulation fibers they produce are mainly microcapsule spinning technology; while Japan ’s Daiwa Chemical Industry develops microcapsule The slurry coating technology is well known.

Market development of tempering fiber

China's thermostatic fiber is still in the stage of research and development and trial production, and the product market is not yet mature. Mainly include: Intelligent milk protein temperature regulating fiber jointly developed by Beijing Xuelian Cashmere Co., Ltd. and Shanxi Hengtian New Fiber Technology Development Co., Ltd. in March 2007, which has excellent pressure resistance and high temperature resistance. Because of the nutritional materials containing natural milk protein, skin-friendly is excellent, which creates sufficient conditions for downstream customers to develop and develop high-end new functional fabrics. This kind of fiber is blended with wool, camel hair, cotton and other fibers at a ratio of 40%, and finally a fabric with good hand feel and temperature regulation function is obtained. In addition, Beijing Xuelian Cashmere Co., Ltd. has also launched a mulberry silk intelligent temperature-regulating fiber two-lane composite woven garment.

In October 2003, Baoding Xiongya Textile Group produced space phase change temperature-regulating fiber fleece under the guidance of American "Ambers" technicians. It is made of high-tech phase-change temperature-regulating fiber for space suits developed by the US Space Agency, and is made with imported high-grade Rocco velvet. This temperature-regulated fiber has been tested and approved by Japan Textile Inspection Association, China Cotton Textile Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, and Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. The product also has long-term sterilization and disinfection effects.

The thermoregulation fiber developed by Tianjin Polytechnic University is a kind of intelligent fiber with the functions of heat energy absorption, storage and release, which is made by adding about 20wt% of phase change material to the polymer fiber. The fabric processed with the fiber has a temperature adjustment function, which can significantly improve the comfort of taking. This project overcomes the problems of improved heat resistance and large-scale synthesis of phase change materials. The automatic temperature adjustment fiber made has a significant temperature adjustment function, and the comprehensive thermal insulation performance is better than the comparison wool flake. Using the intelligent temperature-regulating fiber as the main raw material, combined with the use of three-dimensional four-hole crimped polyester fiber and a small amount of fine denier fiber, etc., a wool-like fleece was developed. Its comprehensive thermal insulation performance is superior to wool fleece; compared with wool fleece, The temperature difference between heating and cooling is above 3.7 ℃.

Jinhua Xinjia Home Textile Co., Ltd. developed an automatic thermostatic duvet in September 2007. The product name is "Tianfu Cotton" and has applied for a national invention patent. It mainly uses physical methods to change the spatial structure of cotton fibers, so that the properties of elasticity, strength and shrinkage are improved. At normal temperature, "Tianfu Cotton" is in a dormant state. After the body temperature passes, the volume of Tianfu Cotton begins to expand, the volume between the fibers increases, the breathability increases, and excess moisture and heat are discharged to achieve the effect of temperature regulation.

Our hospital and Hebei Jizheng Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. jointly developed "intelligent temperature-adjusting viscose fiber" and passed the scientific and technological achievements appraisal organized by the National Textile Industry Association. This technology is the first in China, reaching the domestic advanced level. At the same time, the quality inspection report showed that all physical performance indicators reached the first-class standard of viscose fiber. Recently, it was recommended by the China National Textile and Apparel Council as the "Eleventh Five-Year" textile industry promotion technology. At present, some products such as quilts, towel quilts, T-shirts, temperature-adjusting non-woven fabrics, etc. have been trial-produced.

Temperature-regulating fiber has become a research hotspot for textile functional products at home and abroad. There is already a mature temperature-regulating textile product market in Europe and the United States, which has been trusted and accepted by consumers. In China, the research and application of thermoregulation fiber is still in its infancy, and there are no mature products on the market. But we believe that because the thermoregulating fiber has the function of heat storage and thermoregulation, and has excellent blendability with various other fibers, and the application range is extremely broad, therefore, it will surely have a broad market development space. In addition, the temperature-adjusting fiber needs to be further resolved to reduce costs and improve the temperature-adjusting effect, which is more conducive to market acceptance.