Electrospinning Machine| A multi-mode thermoregulating fabric with integrated passive/active temperature control capabilities

In cold and extreme environments, human thermal comfort faces challenges such as rapid heat dissipation from body surfaces and imbalances in internal physiological regulation. Traditional heating methods (e.g., coal burning, centralized heating, and air conditioning), while effective in raising indoor temperatures, suffer from poor outdoor adaptability and high energy consumption. To address these limitations, researchers are actively developing low-energy or even zero-energy wearable thermal-regulating fabrics to achieve more efficient body heat management.

Meanwhile, with the widespread adoption of next-generation communication technologies like 5G, electromagnetic interference (EMI) has become increasingly prominent. The potential health risks associated with EMI have driven the need for wearable thermal-regulating fabrics that also incorporate electromagnetic shielding capabilities.

Recently, Prof. Liu Chuntai and Assoc. Prof. Feng Yuezhan’s team at Zhengzhou University published their latest research, "A multi-mode thermoregulating fabric with integrated passive/active temperature control capabilities," in Nano Research. The team employed an electrospinning-electrospraying process to integrate MXene’s "multifunctional" properties into TPU fabric, successfully developing a TPU/MXene (TMF) multimodal thermal-regulating fabric combining passive radiative/insulating heating with active Joule/solar heating.

The fabric retains TPU’s flexibility and stretchability while offering excellent breathability and wettability for wearable comfort. Thanks to MXene’s low infrared emissivity and the electrospun membrane’s porous structure, TMF exhibits superior passive insulation, effectively suppressing body heat radiation and convective loss. Simultaneously, the MXene network provides high conductivity (1280 S/m) and >93% solar absorption, enabling active Joule/solar heating to intelligently warm the body in cold environments.

Tests show that the synergy between passive insulation and active heating raises skin temperature by 8.7–10.9°C, far outperforming passive-only heating (4.0°C). Additionally, the MXene conductive network grants tunable EMI shielding (38–105 dB via layer stacking), highlighting the fabric’s potential for wearable tech.

Fig. 1. Concept and fabrication of TMF fabric.

The study successfully utilized MXene’s "all-in-one" properties—passive insulation, active heating, and EMI shielding—via simultaneous electrospinning of TPU and electrospraying of MXene. SEM images confirm MXene nanosheets tightly embedded in the TPU fiber network, forming an enhanced conductive network with increased MXene loading. EDS and XRD verify MXene integration, with TMF’s (002) peak shifting due to hydrogen bonding between TPU’s polar groups and MXene surfaces, improving interlayer bonding.

Fig. 2. Wearable performance of TMF fabric.

As shown in Fig. 2, TMF satisfies wearability demands (stretchability, flexibility, breathability, wettability) while offering EMI shielding against electromagnetic radiation. 

Fig. 3. Passive insulation performance of TMF fabric.

Fig. 3 demonstrates that traditional high-emissivity polymer fabrics allow body heat to radiate outward, whereas TMF’s high reflectivity and low emissivity reflect some heat back to the skin, raising micro-environmental temperatures for passive radiative heating. Moreover, the electrospun TPU’s low thermal conductivity (0.057 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹) ensures insulation, which remains effective (0.1 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹) despite MXene’s introduction. Thermal stage tests confirm TMF’s superior insulation over pure TPU, with IR camera readings consistently lower than thermocouple data, validating its radiative shielding effect. Simulated skin tests show TMF-covered skin at 40.1°C, significantly higher than cotton’s 37.3°C.

Fig. 4. Active heating performance of TMF fabric.

Fig. 4 highlights MXene’s conductivity enabling TMF as an efficient wearable heater for extreme cold. With increasing MXene loading, TMF reaches 102.5°C at 3V, exhibiting adjustable, stable heating even under bending/twisting. MXene’s localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) grants 40% TMF 93% solar absorption, rapidly heating above 60°C under 100 mW/cm² light. Outdoor winter tests show TMF raising temperatures by 17°C over ambient. TMF also supports dual-drive heating (voltage + light) for higher temperatures.

Fig. 5. Human thermal protection applications of TMF fabric.

Fig. 5 verifies TMF’s adaptability for indoor/outdoor, powered/unpowered scenarios in human trials.

Conclusion
This study presents a multimodal TMF fabric via electrospinning-electrospraying, integrating MXene’s multifunctionality. Leveraging MXene’s low IR emissivity (63.2%) and TPU’s porous structure, TMF achieves 4°C passive heating. MXene’s high conductivity and LSPR enable active heating (102.5°C at 3V; 61°C under 100 mW/cm² light) with tunability and stability. The hybrid process loads MXene networks onto TPU fibers, achieving 105 dB EMI shielding via stacking. This smart fabric—combining passive insulation, active heating, and EMI shielding with wearability—offers an innovative solution for next-gen wearables in complex environments.

Original link: https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2025.94907680