Preparation of thermoresponsive cotton fabric by grafting P(MEO₂MA-co-OEGMA₄₇₅-co-GMA) polymer for personal thermal management

Personal thermal management (PTM) textiles with heating or cooling capabilities are highly attractive because they offer individual comfort and contribute to lower energy consumption. However, due to the subjectivity of thermal comfort, developing adaptive and personalized PTM textiles remains a challenge. Here, we report a thermoresponsive cotton fabric (PMOG-cotton), which is prepared by a combination of ultraviolet-induced free radical polymerization and pad-dry-cure process. 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MEO₂MA) and oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA₄₇₅) are selected as thermoresponsive monomers, while glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) is chosen as the linking monomer for copolymerization. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of P(MEO₂MA-co-OEGMA₄₇₅-co-GMA) can be precisely regulated by adjusting the dosage of OEGMA₄₇₅. Furthermore, PMOG-cotton demonstrates a reversible transition between hydrophobic and hydrophilic states in response to variations in external temperature (T > LCST, hydrophobic; T < LCST, hydrophilic). This transition can be sustained for a minimum of 5 cycles and 50 rubbing cycles. PMOG-cotton exhibits superior control over breathability and moisture permeability compared to raw cotton in response to temperature fluctuations. Compared to raw cotton, PMOG-cotton offers a 2.4 °C heating effect in cold environments and a 1.3 °C cooling effect in hot environments. This adaptive thermal management textile shows promise for delivering human thermal comfort in complex and dynamic environments.