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Akira Kumada, SOLAMENT™ product manager, Takisada-Nagoya Co. Ltd., spoke on the company’s infrared-responsive textile at ATA’s Emerging Technologies Conference Nov. 4 in Indianapolis, Ind.
SOLAMENT™ is made from CWO®. Its nanoscale particles capable of absorbing near-infrared (NIR) energy were invented by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd., and the product has been “widely utilized for heat-blocking for years,” Kumada says. So, what’s new? That, he says, is the process that made it possible to disperse the product into a yarn matrix—and a very small amount of the chemical is needed to make it work.
Sunlight, he points out, is 52 percent visible light, six percent ultraviolet light, and the rest—42 percent—is NIR light. SOLAMENT can capture and absorb the NIR energy to keep whatever is underneath it cooler. One test under simulated sunlight showed a significant temperature difference, with SOLAMENT infused fibers showing heat reduction of 19.4 percent. The fibers without SOLAMENT cooled 6.4 percent.
It can also be used for keeping people warm in cold environments. “Yes, this can do both [heat and cool],” Kumada says. “It depends on the structure of the weave.” The product absorbs the heat and can either contain it, or it can disperse it (away) or release it towards the body.
Because SOLAMENT is transparent, it can be used in clothing, on glass, or plastic to absorb and contain (or release) NIR heat thereby reducing heat transfer to the wearer, the automobile, the agricultural crops, or even a building, he says.
UV care is mainstream in protecting the skin, but NIR is important as well, he says, as NIR reaches deeper into the skin, accelerating aging. As used in a garment, the fabric can be made in many colors, from recycled materials, is completely washable, and it’s quick drying.