Thermal insulation properties of multifunctional metal composite fabrics

The thermal properties of metal composite fabrics (MCFs) are governed by the high thermal conductivity and low emissivity of the metal component. Metal type, metal yarn density, metal mesh openness and layering arrangement of the MCFs were varied to study how they affect the thermal insulation properties of the fabrics. Three types of thermal resistance (solid to solid, solid to convective air, and stagnant air to convective air) were measured. All MCFs tested showed higher solid to air thermal resistance compared to non-metal fabric. The solid to air thermal resistance of the MCFs showed either higher or lower values than those predicted from the metal content of the MCFs, depending on the openness aspect ratio of the metal mesh. The solid to air thermal resistance of stainless steel composite fabric was greatly enhanced by proper layering with non-metal fabrics. The results showed that the thermal insulation properties of MCFs can be improved by modifying the metal content, metal mesh openness and layering arrangement of MCFs with other fabrics.