Thermal insulation property of cu-metallized nanofibers

This study investigated the thermal insulation properties of laminated nanofiber web metallized with copper to explore its potential application for use in wear via mass production process. Copper metallization formed a more compact morphology with fine pores, resulting in piling up the air within the ultrathin nanoporous layers. The mechanism of thermal insulation of laminated nanofiber web metallized with copper could be illustrated as following: As deposited on the nanofiber webs, copper reflects the heat from the body back and the air stacked within the nanofiber layers, preventing the emission of heat flux out of the fabric. It was clearly found that metallization could maintain the inside temperature more highly than nonmetallized material by ca. 1.0-1.5°C. The results obtained from this study suggested the wide applications of metallization to protective and energy-saving products such as garments, filters, and interior materials.