Janus hygroscopic-cooling fabric (J-HCF) based on filament/bamboo core yarns for personal thermal-moisture management

Creating a textile with high thermal conductivity and unidirectional moisture conductivity is crucial for enhancing human comfort in terms of temperature and humidity during physical activity. However, it is difficult to improve the one-way transport index and thermal conductivity of the current hygroscopic-cooling fabrics. Here, we combined the superior qualities of cellulose fibers and chemical filament yarns to create a cool-feeling, extremely hygroscopic, green, and thermally conductive filament/bamboo core yarn. Cool polyester (CPET), polyethylene (PE), and cool nylon (CPA) were selected as the cores, and bamboo viscose fiber staple yarn was used as the skin layer to create three kinds of high moisture absorption and conductivity filament/bamboo core yarns. With filament/bamboo core yarn as warp yarn and cool filament as weft yarn, 9 kinds of Janus hygroscopic-cooling fabrics (J-HCFs) were prepared by simple weaving method. When the inner layer was PE and the outer layer was CPET/bamboo core yarn, J-HCF had excellent thermal-moisture management ability, including a desired one-way transport index (673.1%), a fast evaporation rate (1.839 mL/h), a high thermal conductivity (0.0915 W/mk), and a sense of contact coolness (Q_max of 0.295 W/cm²). In this paper, we provide a new method to develop environment-friendly thermal-moisture comfort fabrics. The J-HCF with directional water transmission and high thermal conductivity can be used to reduce the heat load of sportswear, summer clothes, medical fabrics and work clothes.