December 14, 2023
Introduction:
Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1010778(Eurekalert) Combining a flexible solar cell with an electrocaloric device, researchers have created solar-powered clothing that allows the body to adapt dynamically to changes in ambient temperature, according to a new study. The new device could help guarantee the safety and comfort of the human body amid fluctuating environmental temperatures and even extend survivability in extreme environments, like those in outer space or other planets. Clothing is the most common way humans regulate their body temperature relative to the environment. However, it is normally focused on keeping an individual either warm or cool. The ability of clothing to adapt to fast-changing environmental temperatures, particularly in harsh environments like polar regions, deserts, or space, where temperatures can quickly fluctuate between very hot and very cold, remains challenging for current approaches to thermoregulatory clothing. Current thermoregulatory clothing technologies can be separated into two categories. Passive systems encompass radiative cooling, phase change, and adsorption systems. Although these systems have the advantage of not requiring external energy, many only provide one-way thermoregulation (warming up or cooling down). Active thermoregulatory systems allow for rapid cooling or warming but often have large power demands and/or require large and complex mechanical equipment, limiting their use in more conventional clothing types.
