A Novel Approach to Design Nanoporous Polyethylene/Polyester Composite Fabric via TIPS for Human Body Cooling

In this study, in order to obtain a wearable infrared-transparent material based on nanoporous polyethylene, a newly ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/polyester composite fabric with nanoporous structure is developed via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) method. A polyester mesh with loose warp/weft weaves is chosen as the intermediate to enhance the fabric mechanical strength and air permeability. Meanwhile, methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-aminoethyl/polydopamine particles (mPPDAPs) are used to improve the hydrophilicity of UHMWPE. The fabric is composited with mPPDAPs/UHMWPE/liquid paraffin mixture at high temperature. Then the nanoporous structure is formed via TIPS in UHMWPE phase in the composite fabric. This newly UHMWPE/polyester composite fabric possesses a unique connective nanoporous structure with the pore sizes distributed from 50 to 100 nm and it also has many disconnected honeycomb pores that are approximate to 1000 nm in diameter. These characteristics endow the composite fabric with excellent properties of wearability and optical properties, including sufficient moisture wicking rate, air permeability, and mechanical strength, high infrared-transparent and ultraviolet/visible-opaque properties. It is an effective, economical, and practical novel composite textile for human body cooling.