The application of nanoporous aerogels in thermal energy storage and insulation in functional clothing

Extreme environments place stringent demands on the thermal management performance of clothing, and traditional materials are limited. Nanoporous aerogels, with their ultra-low thermal conductivity (<0.02 W/mK) and high porosity (>90%), offer new possibilities for functional clothing. This study constructs a multi-field coupled heat transfer model and combines experiments and simulations to analyze their application in apparel. Three types of aerogels were combined with four fabrics via a coating method, with three sets of experimental variables. Simulations using COMSOL were performed, and the model showed a deviation of less than 8% from experimental data, verifying its reliability. Results show that the thermal insulation performance is optimal when the aerogel content is 30% and the pore size is 30 nm. The composite aerogel also exhibits the best washability (85% thermal resistance retention after 30 washes). This research provides theoretical and technical support for the development of high performance functional clothing.