Phase-Changeable Metafabric Enables Dynamic Subambient Humidity and Thermal Regulation

A promising approach to prevent heat- and cold-related illnesses is the integration of zero-energy input control technology into personal thermal management (PTM) systems while reducing energy consumption. However, achieving optimal wearing comfort while maintaining subambient metabolic temperatures using thermally regulating materials without an energy supply remains challenging. In this study, we provide a simple and reliable methodology to produce a phase-changeable metafabric made of thermoplastic polyurethane and phase change capsule (PCC) particles with high moisture permeability and thermal comfort. This approach skillfully incorporates spray-formed PCC particles into a three-dimensional nanofibrous aggregate, forming a stable self-entangled network structure in a single step through simultaneous humidity-assisted electrospraying and electrospinning processes. Additionally, the metafabric demonstrates prominent water resistance and superhydrophobicity, which are attributed to the integration of PCC particles and nanofibers, resulting in the formation of a microporous/nanoporous structure resembling the surface of a lotus leaf. As a result, the phase-changeable metafabric shows an active and passive thermal control performance, with a water vapor transmittance rate of 13.1 kg m