Fabrication and Characterization of Polypropylene/Aluminum Fibers for Wearable Applications in the Infrared Region

Suppressing the human body’s thermal radiation is important for infrared (IR) camouflage and radiative personal heating. Aluminum (Al) is a good insulator for thermal radiation, but there are challenges to its use in wearable applications. In this study, multifilament yarns containing spherical Al particles were produced by a pilot plant melt-spinning machine. The physical and mechanical properties of the produced composite fibers were measured and analyzed by the different test methods. The results showed that the presence of Al particles up to 2 wt% did not negatively affect the production process and microstructure of the fibers. However, the fabric containing 2 wt% Al particles showed a decrease in IR transmittance by 66%, compared to the control fabric. Thermal camera images confirmed the suppression of body heat radiation.