Accession Number:

ADA637309

Title:

Personal Cooling Fabric Based on Polymeric Thermoelectrics

Descriptive Note:

Final rept. Apr 2009-Feb 2012

Corporate Author:

ARMY NATICK SOLDIER RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING CENTER MA

Personal Author(s):

• Wilusz, Eugene
• Karasz, Frank E.
• Taylor, Patrick S.
• Korugic-Karasz, Ljiljana
• Lahti, Paul M.

Report Date:

2016-07-28

Pagination or Media Count:

30.0

Abstract:

This report documents a 3-year effort completed in 2012 sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency DTRA to develop novel polymeric thermoelectric TE materials, to develop an understanding of the TE behavior of these materials, and to provide materials from which a personal cooling fabric could be developed. Organic polymers offer a light weight, environmentally friendly, and low cost alternative to the widely used inorganic TE materials. Because of their potential for good electrical conductivity and the discrete nature of their conjugated blocks, a series of polyphenylenevinylene PPV copolymers was chosen for this work. The TE Figure of Merit for films of these copolymers was found to vary over a wide range. The most promising results were obtained by blending single wall carbon nanotubes into the polymers to increase electrical conductivity. The highest value obtained for the Figure of Merit was approximately 0.01, among the highest observed for any organic thermoelectric materials. Further materials development can be expected to yield second generation TE polymers with improved properties.

Descriptors:

• *CLOTHING
• *FABRICS
• *THERMOELECTRIC COOLING
• CARBON NANOTUBES
• COEFFICIENTS
• CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS
• COOLING
• ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY
• ENERGY
• FIGURE OF MERIT
• HEATING
• PELTIER EFFECT
• POLYMERS
• POLYPHENYLENES
• POWER
• PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
• SEEBECK EFFECT
• THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
• THERMOELECTRICITY

Subject Categories:

• Textiles
• Air Conditioning, Heating, Lighting and Ventilating

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE