Wearing Comfort of temperature-adaptable textiles by dual-phase coatings between phase-change materials and silicon carbide particles

Two different thermally enhancing coating materials, namely, phase-change materials (PCMs) and silicon carbide (SiC), which are both capable of managing heat storage, were coated directly onto breathable waterproof nylon, either alone or together. The comfort properties of 20 wt % PCM-coated fabric (20PCM) and 20 wt % PCM/SiC dual-coated fabric (SC-20PCM) were compared with those of a control in a human clothing environment (HCE) system and a wear trial test. The changes in the heat and moisture transfer were examined by measurement of the microclimate temperature (T _mi) and microclimate relative humidity (RH _mi) of the coated fabrics with an HCE system. In addition, T _mi, RH _mi, and subjective sensations in the wear trials were evaluated. With dry heat transfer in the HCE, the thermal insulation decreased in following order: SC-20PCM > 20PCM > Control. However, SiC could not function in the presence of simulated perspiration. The moisture-buffering capacity in the outermost layer decreased when the fabrics were coated with 20PCM and SC-20PCM. In the wear trials, the subjects were unable to distinguish any difference in the thermal comfort between the garments, even though the T _mi of the SC-20PCM garments was 2.5°C higher than that of the control garments. Moreover, they did not report any significant differences in the humidity or comfort sensations between the test garments.