A review of body radiant infrared control for personal thermal management with electrospun membranes

Thermal comfort is essential for human well-being, influencing our perception of surrounding thermal conditions. Achieving thermal comfort typically requires energy for cooling or heating, prompting researchers to advocate for personal technologies due to their lower energy consumption (active on-body systems) compared to traditional methods (off-body systems). Advanced textiles are promoted as a sustainable solution, providing thermal comfort over a wider temperature range without additional energy consumption (passive on-body systems). This comprehensive review examines various types of comfort, with a focus on thermal comfort, exploring influencing factors and standards for assessing advanced textile performance. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of developing infrared (IR) emission control technologies to enhance thermal comfort, as radiant heat significantly contributes to body heat loss. Recent advancements in passive radiative cooling/heating layer fabrication are discussed. Among the technologies utilized for creating layers with radiant heat control properties, electrospinning technology is emphasized in this study. Electrospinning technology, renowned for its simplicity, compatibility with other methods, controllability, repeatability, and burgeoning industrial applications, is of particular interest to researchers. This article explores how passive design of electrospun layers can enhance radiant heat reflection and absorption for heating and cooling purposes. These layers are passive smart textiles that adapt to weather conditions using particles added during fabrication. The article discusses the advantages and challenges of this approach, highlighting the potential of electrospinning technology in creating smart textiles with improved thermal properties. The overarching goal is to aid ongoing research in achieving thermal comfort across diverse environments.