Journal of Textile Research ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (11): 94-101.doi: 10.13475/j.fzxb.20250103801

• Textile Engineering • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Development and performance of outdoor functional fabrics with bionic structures

XU Lili, TENG Yanfei, MA Pibo, WAN Ailan()   

  1. Engineering Research Center for knitting Technology, Ministry of Education,Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
  • Received:2025-01-14 Revised:2025-07-11 Online:2025-11-15 Published:2025-11-15
  • Contact: WAN Ailan E-mail:ailan.wan@jiangnan.edu.cn

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Abstract:

Objective With the booming development of outdoor sports, people's demand for functional sportswear continued to grow. Heavy clothing led to poor perspiration, seriously affecting comfort with risk of hypothermia, and was easy to gather odor causing embarrassment and discomfort in a complex autumn and winter outdoor environment. Current research on the base layer of outdoor functional fabrics is primarily focused on single-function characteristics, neglecting consumers' demand for multifunctional properties combining odor elimination and thermal-moisture comfort. Therefore, it is urgent to develop outdoor functional fabrics with deodorizing performance and thermal-moisture comfort.
Method In order to develop outdoor functional fabrics that concurrently exhibit deodorizing and thermal-moisture comfort properties, eight fabric types were developed based on the biomimetic principle of Victoria amazonica leaf venation structure with the use of wool as plating yarn and odor-eliminating polyurethane/polypropylene covered yarn as the ground yarn. A deodorizing performance testing device was established to evaluate the deodorizing capabilities of these outdoor functional fabrics. The deodorizing performance and thermal-moisture comfort were assessed by testing the air permeability, moisture permeability, and moisture management properties. Additionally, the service performance of the outdoor functional fabrics was scrutinized.
Results The results of the deodorizing performance test indicated that among the 9 fabric samples, the maximum ammonia elimination rate was 99.50%, and the minimum was 85.11%. The maximum acetic acid elimination rate was 94.55%, and the minimum was 80.36%. All fabric samples exhibited excellent deodorizing efficacy, with both ammonia and acetic acid elimination rates exceeded 80%. Notably, bubble structured fabric demonstrated significantly superior deodorizing performance compared to the plain knit fabric. In terms of thermal insulation, with the exception of the leaf small pore fabric, all other fabric samples outperformed the plain knit fabric, with the secondary vein fabric achieved the best thermal insulation performance. The cardinal vein fabric exhibited the highest air permeability, while the branching structureⅡfabric demonstrated the lowest. For water vapor permeability, with the exception of the leaf small pore, branching structure I and the bubble structure fabrics, all other fabric samples outperformed the plain knit fabric. All 8 biomimetic fabric samples had a unidirectional transport index greater than 300, indicating excellent moisture absorption and wicking properties. Specifically, vein small grid and bubble structure fabrics showed markedly superior moisture management performance compared to the plain knit fabric. The serviceability assessment suggested that it was evident that all eight biomimetic fabric samples met the service performance requirements for outdoor functional apparel. In terms of pilling resistance, the cardinal vein, secondary vein, vein small grid, bubble structure, and the branching structureⅡfabrics performed the best, with the fabric surface remaining clear and intact after 7 000 cycles of abrasion. The branching structureⅠfabric showed the best bursting strength and bursting height, demonstrating exceptional bursting performance. With respect to the tensile properties, the weft-breaking strength and breaking elongation of all 8 biomimetic fabric samples were greater than those in the warp direction. In the weft direction, the secondary vein fabric had the highest breaking strength, and the branching structureⅡfabric had the highest breaking elongation.
Conclusion The comparative analysis of eight fabric samples and plain-knit fabrics demonstrated that incorporating wool and deodorizing polyurethane fibers significantly improved the fabrics' deodorizing performance. The bioinspired structural design was also found to substantially enhance thermal-moisture comfort, offering valuable guidance for developing outdoor functional apparel that combines both deodorizing performance and comfort. However, challenges remained regarding how to effectively implement zonal designs using these bioinspired structures in outdoor garments, as well as how to establish appropriate evaluation methods for assessing the performance of such functional clothing, indicating important directions for future research.

Key words: bionic structure, wool, outdoor functional garment, functional fabric, bionic knitting fabric, deodorizing polyurethane fiber, deodorizing performance, thermal-moisture comfort

CLC Number: 

  • TS186.3

Fig.1

Morphologies of giant waterlily. (a) Whole leaf;(b) Bubble-like surface of leaf; (c) Small pores in leaves; (d) Veins network on leaf back;(e) Longitudinal-section leaf vein;(f) Cross-section of leaf vein"

Fig.2

Coil pattern diagram. (a) Coil knitting model of black grid; (b) Coil knitting model of red grid"

Fig.3

PAT diagram of bionic vein structure fabric. (a)Cardinal vein; (b)Secondary vein; (c)Vein small grid;(d)Leaf small pores; (e)Branching structure Ⅰ; (f)Leaf big pore; (g)Bubble structure; (h) Branching structure Ⅱ"

Tab.1

Specifications and structure parameters of fabrics"

结构名称 面料
编号		 面密度/
(g·m-2)		 厚度/
mm		 密度/(线圈数·(5 cm)-1) 消臭氨纶
含量/%		 羊毛
含量/%
横密 纵密
主叶脉 1# 339 2.28 95 165 12.93 60.64
次叶脉 2# 326 1.44 100 245 12.81 60.54
主次叶脉小方格 3# 340 2.23 75 185 11.65 64.50
叶片小孔纹路 4# 218 0.83 80 145 13.59 58.39
叶脉分支结构Ⅰ类 5# 252 1.50 70 165 12.97 60.29
叶片大孔纹路 6# 199 0.96 80 145 14.85 54.60
叶片泡状结构 7# 442 2.17 90 220 12.70 61.19
叶脉分支结构Ⅱ类 8# 331 1.89 85 195 12.78 60.85
纬平针 0# 310 1.06 95 155 12.37 62.14

Fig.4

Physical pictures of imitating vein structure. (a)Cardinal vein; (b)Secondary vein; (c)Vein small grid;(d)Leaf small pores; (e)Branching structure Ⅰ; (f)Leaf big pore; (g)Bubble structure; (h) Branching structure Ⅱ"

Fig.5

Deodorant rate detection device"

Tab.2

Deodorizing properties of bionic knitting fabrics"

面料
编号		 氨气 醋酸
初始浓度/
(μL·L-1)		 2 h后浓度/(μL·L-1) 消除率/
%		 初始浓度/
(μL·L-1)		 2 h后浓度/(μL·L-1) 消除率/%
样品A 空白B 样品A 空白B
1# 100.00 5.50 98.00 94.39 30.00 3.00 28.50 89.47
2# 100.00 7.50 98.00 92.35 30.00 4.00 29.00 86.21
3# 100.00 5.00 94.00 94.68 30.00 2.50 28.50 91.23
4# 100.00 13.50 96.00 85.94 30.00 5.00 27.00 81.48
5# 100.00 11.00 94.00 88.30 30.00 4.50 27.50 83.64
6# 100.00 14.00 94.00 85.11 30.00 5.50 28.00 80.36
7# 100.00 0.50 92.00 99.50 30.00 1.50 27.50 94.55
8# 100.00 6.50 95.00 93.16 30.00 3.50 28.50 87.72
0# 100.00 4.50 72.00 93.75 30.00 2.00 28.00 92.86

Tab.3

Warm keeping properties of bionic knitting fabrics"

面料
编号		 热阻/
(10-3m2·K·W-1)		 传热系数/
(W·(m2·℃)-1)		 克罗值/
clo
1# 74.100 13.550 0.478 0
2# 112.233 9.073 0.723 7
3# 71.675 13.995 0.462 3
4# 42.633 24.290 0.275 0
5# 51.733 19.407 0.333 7
6# 44.950 22.338 0.289 6
7# 95.967 10.670 0.618 7
8# 53.475 18.678 0.344 8
0# 43.200 23.273 0.263 0

Tab.4

One-way transfer index and rating of bionic knitting fabrics"

面料编号 单向传递指数 等级
1# 324.210 5
2# 369.700 5
3# 409.610 5
4# 381.250 5
5# 377.620 5
6# 385.240 5
7# 405.930 5
8# 365.710 5
0# 402.550 5

Tab.5

Pilling properties of bionic knitting fabrics after repeated rubbing"

面料编号 不同摩擦次数下的起毛起球等级
125次 500次 1 000次 2 000次 5 000次 7 000次
1# 5 5 5 5 5 5
2# 5 5 5 5 5 5
3# 5 5 5 5 5 5
4# 5 5 5 5 4.5 4
5# 5 5 5 5 5 4.5
6# 5 5 5 5 4.5 4
7# 5 5 5 5 5 5
8# 5 5 5 5 5 5

Fig.6

Physical images of fabrics after 7 000 rubbing cycles"

Tab.6

Bursting properties of bionic knitting fabrics"

面料编号 顶破强力/N 顶破高度/mm 顶破功/J
1# 404.50 58.405 1.27
2# 427.85 32.535 0.68
3# 359.65 51.895 1.10
4# 494.30 47.440 1.01
5# 510.20 62.295 1.27
6# 353.05 48.000 0.85
7# 317.40 56.160 0.92
8# 377.35 46.125 0.89

Tab.7

Tensile properties of bionic knitting fabrics"

面料编号 拉伸方向 断裂强力/N 断裂伸长率/%
1# 纵向 41.65 200.55
横向 97.61 241.34
2# 纵向 58.39 97.80
横向 113.34 203.26
3# 纵向 44.04 171.45
横向 82.25 256.26
4# 纵向 45.15 146.25
横向 55.54 265.69
5# 纵向 35.06 158.84
横向 55.13 274.59
6# 纵向 39.77 152.60
横向 43.08 225.08
7# 纵向 33.24 137.00
横向 101.89 248.13
8# 纵向 44.86 238.63
横向 101.34 280.42
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