Research trends of the application of aerogel materials in clothing

Abstract

This study investigated the application research of aerogel materials in clothing and analyzed the current research focus on aerogel clothing, the details of the development of aerogel materials, and the evaluation of the application effects of aerogel in clothing. Current research mainly focuses on the application of aerogel in firefighting clothing, space suits, wetsuits, and footwear products. The aerogel materials used in surveyed studies can be classified into aerogel fiber composite, aerogel foam composite, and aerogel coating fabric. Aerogel fiber composite is the most widely used aerogel material in the clothing industry. The thermal performance, mechanical properties, and comfort performance of aerogel clothing have been qualitatively discussed. This survey revealed that aerogel positively affects thermal performance of clothing. In addition, the mechanical properties such as the durability and strength of aerogel materials can meet the application requirements of clothing. However, the dust contamination hazard of aerogel particles limits the further application of aerogels in clothing. In addition, the experimental evaluation of the comfort performance of aerogel clothing through human- and manikin-wearing experiments is insufficient. The findings of this study reveal that it is essential to conduct further studies on the comfort performance of aerogel clothing to determine whether aerogel can have widespread application in clothing. Lastly, we provide suggestions on directions for future studies on the application of aerogels in clothing.