A sol - gel approach for realization of textiles with reduced transmission for NIR light

Sol - gel technology is a versatile method for the functionalization of textiles. This study reports on the use of an industrial sol - gel product in combination with an IR absorber to create textiles with a reduced transmission for near infrared light (NIR light). Sol - gel coatings with increasing content of IR absorber are applied on cotton and polyester fabrics. A regular distribution of the coating agents on the textile fabrics is reached. Analytical methods used are scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), optical transmission spectroscopy in diffusive arrangements and heat measurements by infrared heat camera. The applied coatings lead to a significant decrease of transmission in optical range of near infrared light (700 nm to 1400 nm). Further, heat up - take properties of the produced textiles are improved as well as the heat keeping properties. Finally, it can be stated that the realized materials can support a certain protection against infrared light. Additionally, they can be also applied as heat collecting materials. Such dual functional textiles could lead to applications in out - door clothes for winter situation there the combination of protection against UV and IR light is wished and ideally combined with a warming effect by heat collections from absorbing of IR light.