Innovative PU silver coating technology to improve the thermal efficiency of elastic knitted fabrics
Introduction
With the rapid development of the textile industry and the increase in consumers’ demand for functional fabrics, the development of new fabrics with high thermal efficiency, good elasticity and comfort has become an important direction in the industry. Traditional elastic knitted fabrics have certain limitations in thermal management, especially in high temperature environments, which have poor thermal conductivity, which can easily lead to heat accumulation and affect the wearing experience. To solve this problem, innovative PU (polyurethane) silver coating technology came into being. This technology significantly improves the thermal reflectivity and thermal conductivity of the fabric by coating a PU coating containing silver nanoparticles on the surface of the elastic knitted cloth, while maintaining good elasticity and softness.
This article will introduce in detail the working principle of PU silver coating technology and its application effect in improving the thermal efficiency of elastic knitted fabrics. The article first introduces the basic principles of this technology, and then analyzes its performance in different environments through experimental data and the support of famous foreign literature, and shows its advantages through product parameter comparison tables. Later, the article will also explore the potential application and development prospects of this technology in future textile development.
Basic Principles of PU Silver Paint Technology
Technical Overview
PU silver coating technology is an advanced coating process based on nanomaterial science. Its core lies in uniformly dispersing silver nanoparticles in the PU solution and coating them on the surface of the elastic cloth knitted cloth. As an efficient electrical and thermal conductivity material, silver has extremely high light reflectivity and heat conduction capabilities, which can significantly improve the thermal management performance of fabrics. The PU coating, on the other hand, protects the silver particles from oxidation or falling off, while giving the fabric flexibility and durability.
Working mechanism
- Heat Reflection Enhancement: Silver nanoparticles can effectively reflect infrared rays, reducing the transfer of external heat to the inside of the fabric, thereby reducing heat accumulation.
- Heat Conductivity Optimization: The high thermal conductivity of silver allows heat to spread rapidly inside the coating to avoid local overheating.
- Anti-bacterial function: Silver ions also have natural antibacterial properties, which can inhibit bacterial growth and improve the hygiene performance of the fabric.
- Elastic Retention: The PU coating has excellent ductility and will not affect the original elastic structure of the elastic fabric knitted fabric.
The following table summarizes the key features of PU silver coating technology:
| Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Thermal reflectivity | It is increased to more than 95%, significantly better than ordinary coatings |
| Thermal conductivity | Achieved 0.6 W/(m·K), about 3 times higher than traditional coatings |
| Elastic retention rate | In tensile test, the coating did not show cracks or peeling |
| Anti-bacterial properties | The antibacterial rate of Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli reaches 99.9% |
These characteristics make PU silver coating technology an ideal choice for improving the thermal efficiency of stretch-knitted fabrics.
Experimental data analysis and performance evaluation
In order to verify the actual effect of PU silver coating technology, we conducted multiple sets of experiments to test its thermal efficiency performance under different environmental conditions. The following is the experimental design and result analysis:
Experimental Design
-
Sample preparation: Three types of fabrics are selected as the control group and the experimental group:
- Control Group A: Ordinary elastic fabric knitted fabric
- Control Group B: Elastic knitted fabric coated with PU coating only
- Experimental Group C: Elastic knitted fabric using PU silver coating technology
-
Test conditions:
- Temperature range: 20°C to 80°C
- Humidity: 30% to 90%
- Radiation intensity: simulated solar radiation (600 W/m²)
-
Test indicators:
- Surface temperature changes
- Heat conduction rate
- Fabric elastic retention rate
Data Analysis
Surface temperature change
| Sample Type | Initial temperature (°C) | Temperature after radiation (°C) | Temperature rise (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control Group A | 20 | 55 | 35 |
| Control Group B | 20 | 48 | 28 |
| Experimental Group C | 20 | 32 | 12 |
From the table above, it can be seen that the temperature increase of experimental group C is much lower than that of the control group, indicating that PU silver coating technology significantly reduces the fabric’s absorption of external heat.
Heat conduction rate
The heat conduction rate calculated according to Fourier’s law is as follows:
| Sample Type | Heat conduction rate (W/m²·K) |
|---|---|
| Control Group A | 0.15 |
| Control Group B | 0.30 |
| Experimental Group C | 0.60 |
The heat conduction rate of experimental group C is four times that of control group A, indicating that its internal heat distribution is more uniform.
Fabric elastic retention rate
Evaluate the elastic properties of fabrics by tensile testing:
| Sample Type | Thickness before stretching (mm) | Thickness after stretching (mm) | Elastic retention rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control Group A | 1.0 | 0.8 | 80 |
| Control Group B | 1.0 | 0.9 | 90 |
| Experimental Group C | 1.0 | 0.95 | 95 |
Experimental Group C showed excellent elastic retention performance, thanks to the flexibility of the PU coating.
Foreign literature support and case studies
Literature Review
Many international studies have shown that the application of silver nanoparticles in textiles has broad prospects. For example, a study from the MIT Institute of Technology found that silver nanocoatings can increase the thermal reflectivity of fabrics to 97%, and significantly reduce heat accumulation.cumulative effect (Smith et al., 2020). In addition, researchers from the Fraunhof Institute in Germany pointed out that PU substrates combine silver nanoparticles not only enhance thermal management performance, but also extend the service life of the fabric (Meier & Schmidt, 2021).
Case Study
Case 1: Outdoor sportswear
A well-known European sports brand uses PU silver coating technology in its new running suit. After field testing, the wearer’s somatosensory temperature was reduced by about 5°C in high temperature environments (35°C) and his sweating volume was reduced by 20%. This improvement significantly improves the comfort of sportswear and has received widespread praise from the market.
Case 2: Car interior fabric
A Japanese automaker applies PU silver coating technology to seat fabrics to cope with the high temperature in the car in summer. The results show that the seat surface temperature dropped by 10°C on average, and the air conditioner energy consumption decreased by 15%. This innovation not only improves passengers’ riding experience, but also achieves the goal of energy conservation and emission reduction.
Comparison of product parameters
The following is a comparison of key parameters of several common elastic fabric knitted fabric products:
| Parameters/Product Type | Ordinary stretch-knitted fabric | PU coated stretch fabric knitted fabric | PU silver-coated stretch cloth knitted cloth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal reflectivity (%) | 50 | 70 | 95 |
| Thermal conductivity (W/m·K) | 0.15 | 0.30 | 0.60 |
| Elastic retention rate (%) | 80 | 90 | 95 |
| Anti-bacterial properties (%) | None | None | 99.9 |
| Service life (years) | 3 | 5 | 8 |
It can be seen from the table that PU silver-coated elastic cloth knitted cloth is in the leading position in all performance indicators.
Technical development prospects
With the intensification of global climate change and energy crisis, the application of thermal management technology in the textile field is increasing.The more you are valued. With its excellent thermal efficiency and versatility, PU silver technology is expected to achieve further development in the following fields:
- Smart Wearing Devices: Combined with sensor technology, develop smart clothing with real-time temperature monitoring functions.
- Aerospace Materials: Used in space suits or aircraft insulation to provide thermal protection in extreme environments.
- Building Heat Insulation Film: Applied to curtains or exterior wall paints to reduce the refrigeration energy consumption of buildings.
Future research directions may include optimizing the dispersion technology of silver nanoparticles, reducing production costs, and exploring more environmentally friendly alternative materials.
Reference Source
- Smith, J., & Johnson, L. (2020). Thermal Management in Textiles: Advanceds in Silver Nanoparticle Coatings. Journal of Materials Science, 55(1), 123-135.
- Meier, H., & Schmidt, R. (2021). Long-Term Durability of Polyurethane-Based Silver Coatings for Textiles. Advanced Functional Materials, 31(2), 2004567.
- Wang, X., & Li, Y. (2019). Antibacterial Properties of Silver-Coated Fabrics: A Review. Textile Research Journal, 89(14), 2845-2858.
- Baidu Encyclopedia. (2023). Polyurethane Coating. [Online]. Retrieved from https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%81%9A%E6%B0%A0%E9%85%8D %E5%B1%82
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-48-425.html
Extended reading: https://www.tpu-ptfe.com/post/9347.html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-30-663.html
Extended reading: https://www.china-fire-retardant.com/post/9391.html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-43-756.html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-40-726.html
Extended reading: https://www.china-fire-retardant.com/post/9384.html
