COMPOSITE MATERIALS FOR FIBRES, MEMBRANES AND TEXTILE COATINGS AND METHOD FOR ITS PREPARATION

摘要

A method for preparing a solid composite material comprising a structural polymer matrix and a thermo-responsive hydrogel involves: i) providing the structural polymer as monomer, oligomer or polymer particles, ii) providing a cross-linkable compound comprising reactive moieties which are mutually cross-linkable to form the thermo-responsive hydrogel, iii) forming a substantially homogeneous blend of the cross-linkable compound and the monomer, oligomer or polymer particles of structural polymer in a blended aqueous liquid, iv) inducing the cross-linkable compound to cross-link by a first induction means whereby the thermo-responsive hydrogel is formed, and v) forming the structural polymer matrix from the structural polymer by a second induction means. The resulting solid composite material provides a textile or membrane which presents a thermally insulating layer, through which air and/or liquid water cannot easily pass at low temperatures, but which also provides a more open structure at higher temperatures so that air and moisture vapour can pass through the textile or membrane allowing a wearer to be cooled by evaporation of sweat from the skin, to improve comfort. The membrane or textile permits water vapour to pass out through it even at low ambient temperatures, but water vapour permeability increases at higher temperatures, in order to prevent an active user from generating a layer of undesirable, un-evaporated sweat against the skin of the wearer.