Multilayered multifunctional heat-retention material

Abstract

A heat-retention material for a garment is provided having a solar-transmitting shell fabric, a solar-transmitting insulation layer, and a solar-absorbing lining fabric. The solar-absorbing lining fabric includes a plurality of heat-retention elements coupled to a lining fabric, such as having a weighted average thermal emittance of less than 0.8 (or 80%). The heat-retention elements include a low thermal emittance layer and a high solar absorptance layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment, comprising:
 a solar-transmitting shell fabric having an outermost, outward facing surface configured to face environment when worn, and an inward facing surface;   a lining fabric having an outward facing surface configured to face in a direction of the environment when worn, and an innermost, inward facing surface configured to face a wearer when worn, the lining fabric further comprising a plurality of heat-retention elements coupled to the lining fabric, each of the plurality of heat-retention elements comprising:
 a low thermal emittance layer; and 
 a high solar absorptance layer, and 
   a solar-transmitting insulation layer between the inward facing surface of the solar-transmitting shell fabric and the outward facing surface of the lining fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heat-retention elements are on the outward facing surface of the lining fabric. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heat-retention elements are on the innermost, inward facing surface of the lining fabric. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the solar-transmitting shell fabric exhibits solar radiation transmittance of at least 20-40%. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the solar-transmitting insulation layer has a thickness less than or equal to 20-35 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 5 , wherein the solar-transmitting insulation layer has a density of 40-300 gsm. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the lining fabric has a weighted average thermal emittance of less than 0.8. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the low thermal emittance layer is a metallic foil. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 8 , wherein the metallic foil is aluminum. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the low thermal emittance layer has a thickness 5 nm to 100 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the low thermal emittance layer is 30-50 nm. 
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the high solar absorptance layer has a thickness of 0.1 μm to 10.0 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the high solar absorptance layer is 1.0-1.4 μm. 
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the high solar absorptance layer comprises a polymeric overlayer. 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the high solar absorptance layer comprises a colorant. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 15 , wherein the colorant is a black colorant. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the solar-transmitting insulation layer comprises translucent or white-colored insulation.