When looking for answers to human problems, scientists often turn to animals, which have already evolved their own solutions. So when it came time to develop a heat-trapping fabric, a team of researchers turned to polar bears. A polar bear’s outer layer can withstand temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). The secret, it turns out, has to do with the polar bear’s unique fur and dark skin underneath.
Animals are constantly pushing humans to try to imitate some of their qualities as scientists try to develop new products and technologies through a branch of science known as biomimicry.This is the world of textile development. This is especially true in , and we’ve seen squid-inspired heat trap materials that could be an alternative to mollusk-inspired Kevlar. Cooling material based on camel fur. etc.
Polar bears have always been a logical place to look for ways to create super-warm fabrics, but researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found it wasn’t until 80 years ago that they created an artificial material that perfectly mimics how polar bears survive in the Arctic. It is the first time. temperature.
As part of the research that led to the creation of the material, the research team discovered that polar bears have a dual way of capturing and retaining heat from sunlight. The hairs that make up the coat (which may look white but are actually translucent) act as a sort of fiber optic delivery system, channeling heat into the underlying skin. Polar bears have dark skin that absorbs heat easily. When the skin warms up, the bear’s fur acts as an insulating layer, reducing heat transfer to the body.
Two previous studies have shown that polar bear fur retains heat for two reasons in particular. First, the individual hairs that make it up are hollow and are therefore not good heat conductors.
For the new polar bear-inspired fabric, researchers created a base layer composed of nylon coated with a dark polymer known as PEDOT. This coating is well-known for its ability to retain heat, and has found its way into smart bricks, better batteries, improved brain-monitoring electrodes, and water-purifying aerogels, just to name a few.
On top of the PEDOT layer, the scientists added transparent polypropylene threads that attracted visible light downwards and heated. Tests reveal that the new material, which smart textile company Solyan is already developing for commercial use, is lighter and warmer than cotton. In fact, jackets made from this new material are 30% lighter than cotton and can keep the wearer comfortable at temperatures as low as 10 °C (18 °F) if the surroundings are well lit.
Interestingly, researchers believe the material is effective at warming the wearer through any source of bright light, not just sunlight. This can change the amount of energy you need to use to stay warm indoors when the temperature drops.
Wesley Viola, lead author of the study, said: “Our textiles really shine as outerwear on sunny days, but the light trap construction works efficiently enough to envision using existing indoor lighting to heat the body directly. By focusing energy resources on the ‘personal climate’ around the body, this approach is far more sustainable than the status quo. ”
A study was published in a journal ACS Applied Materials Interface.
Source: University of Massachusetts Amherst
