19 votes

This impossibly thin fabric could cool you down by sixteen-plus degrees

6 comments

  1. MimicSquid
    Link
    It's always cool to see improvements in material science, but if it's limited to high-end clothing it'll be a waste. Fundamentally I see this sort of thing as another way in which people are just...

    It's always cool to see improvements in material science, but if it's limited to high-end clothing it'll be a waste. Fundamentally I see this sort of thing as another way in which people are just trying to protect themselves when the built environment is so hostile. In Arizona, the heat island effects of having so many dark materials in cities absorbing the heat of the sun is the enough to raise the urban temperatures by 10-14F, pretty much the entire degree of amelioration provided by this new fabric. If we made changes to our cities to make them more livable (including using new materials like these in roofs and other hard surfaces) then everyone would benefit.

    18 votes
  2. chocobean
    Link
    It doesn't.....I dont know. More non-recyclable plastics for fast fashion to chill a few degrees celsius is completely uninteresting to me. The article mentions they could put this on everything.....

    ...three-layer textile. The top layer is made of polymethylpentene or PMP, a type of plastic commonly used for packaging; the researchers had to figure out how to spin it into a fiber. The second is a sheet of silver nanowires, which acts like a mirror to reflect infrared radiation. Together, these block both the solar radiation and the ambient radiation reflected off of surfaces. The third layer can be any conventional fabric, like wool or cotton

    It doesn't.....I dont know. More non-recyclable plastics for fast fashion to chill a few degrees celsius is completely uninteresting to me. The article mentions they could put this on everything..

    But I would like to see this new material be fully recyclable first. Otherwise it's just more fill for the great Pacific garbage patch or nearest landfill slum

    Reduce production of everything, reuse the same plastics we already have. If they partner up with the infinitely recyclable plastics folks that'd be really great

    16 votes
  3. [2]
    i_kant_spel
    Link
    This is an awesome innovation on textile, though I wish the article listed the price per square ft. Hope this catches on. Wonder if it is strong enough to withstand everyday wear and tear /...

    This is an awesome innovation on textile, though I wish the article listed the price per square ft. Hope this catches on. Wonder if it is strong enough to withstand everyday wear and tear / washing? The fibers may be strong but easily snagged and pulled at that size

    10 votes
    1. Gopher
      Link Parent
      Using silver I assume it will be expensive, but maybe the silver is so thin it won't be, idk just aguess

      Using silver I assume it will be expensive, but maybe the silver is so thin it won't be, idk just aguess

      4 votes
  4. boxer_dogs_dance
    Link
    This will have a variety of uses, including heat sensitivity in multiple sclerosis

    This will have a variety of uses, including heat sensitivity in multiple sclerosis

    4 votes