Abstract:

In order to improve protective performance of protective clothing and balance the relationship between functional requirements and comfortable demands, shape memory material (SMM) are effectively applied in protective clothing to dynamically change air between fabric allyers, and thus achieve the dynamic adjustability of protective performance. The current domestic and foreign research status on the application of SMM in functional textiles and garments were reviewed and the current research limitations were summarized, especially in thermal and cold protective clothing. Based on the above analysis, the specific direction for the application of SMM in protective clothing in the future was highlighted in terms of air gap size, thermal hazards, protective clothing factors, quantity and distribution of SMM, physiological comfort, etc. Finally, the development trend in protective clothing incorporated with SMM was proposed from the perspective of human body-clothing-environment system.

Key words: shape memory material, functional proyective clothing, protective performance, heat transfer